The deadline for submitting bids for the privatisation of the national airline TAP Air Portugal is this Thursday. The Portuguese government expects to receive three bids.
TAP is in the process of being privatised, and this Thursday is the last day to submit non-binding bids to take a minority stake in the company. The Air France-KLM group is the first company to confirm that it has made a proposal to acquire a minority stake in the Portuguese airline.
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The non-binding proposal was submitted on Thursday, 2 April, the Franco-Dutch group said in a statement.
In the note, the company emphasises that it has "extensive experience working with state shareholders. We believe that this partnership experience is a testimony to the strategic importance of aviation for a nation."
Assuring that he will not jeopardise the maintenance of the Lisbon operational centre, which is one of the main concerns of the political parties opposing the sale, Benjamin Smith, the executive chairman of Air France-KLM, as quoted in the statement, that the company's ambition "is to strengthen operations in Lisbon" while developing "connectivity in other cities in the country, including Porto."
"Thanks to its ideal geographical position, Lisbon could become the Group's only hub in southern Europe, offering extensive connectivity to the Americas - including Brazil, a key market for TAP and Air France-KLM, as well as to Africa," the statement reads.
The Franco-Dutch company says it "favours cooperation within a clear framework designed to maximise economic and operational synergies". "This model would allow TAP to fully benefit from a smooth integration into a larger, robust group with economies of scale and a global reach, strengthening its competitiveness. This cooperation would extend to all business areas and include a focus on decarbonisation - a key strategic priority for Air France-KLM."
Air France-KLM also claims to have a "clear track record in preserving and growing historic brands and aims to enable TAP to remain true to its Portuguese heritage while enhancing its distinctive identity on the global stage. This would reinforce TAP's sustainable growth and regional development in Portugal."
The Portuguese government also expects to receive offers from Lufthansa and IAG, which owns Iberia and British Airways.
The German group has guaranteed that it will not give up on TAP and has confirmed that it will submit a non-binding proposal, arguing that it is the partner with the greatest capacity to develop the Portuguese airline.
However, doubts persist about IAG's interest after reports by Bloomberg that the group, one of the world's largest airline owners, may not proceed with a bid.
