Lufthansa says it “would be ready” to take over TAP management now
Lufthansa’s CEO said the group is ready to manage TAP immediately, underscoring strong interest as Portugal prepares the airline’s privatisation.
Lufthansa is ready to take over the management of TAP immediately if the Portuguese government wants it to, the German airline group’s CEO Carsten Spohr said on Monday, signalling how aggressively the company is positioning itself in the privatisation of Portugal’s flag carrier.
“I am ready. I can start this afternoon if the prime minister wants”, Spohr said at a press conference before the foundation-stone ceremony for a Lufthansa Technik factory in Santa Maria da Feira. He said Lufthansa’s “interest in TAP is very strong”, while adding that the group would respect the Portuguese government’s decision on the sale process.
Spohr said Lufthansa believes it is the right partner for TAP and linked that interest to the group’s broader plans in Portugal and Latin America. “We strongly believe in Portugal, which is why we are opening a maintenance hub here”, he said, adding that Lufthansa also sees future growth in Brazil and the wider Latin American market, as well as in a network of hubs across Europe.
Lufthansa submitted a non-binding offer to Parpública in April for a minority stake in TAP, joining Air France-KLM in the race for the Portuguese airline. Spohr said Portugal is a strategic aviation partner for the group, which he said now operates 50 daily connections to the country, or 350 flights a week.
Originally published at Eco.pt
