Friday, April 13, 2018

Etihad sends feelers to Anil Ambani to buy 76% stake in Air India

Gulf airline major Etihad is planning to bid for state-owned carrier Air India. Etihad is looking for partners in major Indian corporate groups and has sent feelers to Anil Ambani-owned Reliance group (ADAG).

The Union government has invited expression of interest from private players to buy 76 per cent in the national carrier. The sale includes 100 per cent in subsidiary Air India Express and 50 per cent in ground handling joint venture AISATS.
Sources aware of the discussions said talks were at a preliminary stage. “Etihad is scouting for partners to form a consortium to bid for Air India and is in discussion with companies, including the Anil Ambani group,” a source said. There are chances that the talks may not translate into a partnership, but this indicates interest of foreign aviation firms and India Inc in the airline.

According to sources close to the transactions, several global airline majors such as British Airways and Singapore Airlines are evaluating investment prospects in Air India and looking for suitable partnership for the deal.

If the partnership works, this will be Etihad’s second investment in an Indian airline.

In 2007, it had bought 24 per cent stake in private airline Jet Airways.
“Relations with Jet Airways are not at an optimum level following Jet’s deepening of partnership with Air France-KLM. But Etihad will not let its hold in the Indian market go, so it is evaluating the opportunity,” another source said.
According to the agreement signed last November, the joint venture between Air France-KLM and Jet Airways is meant to share passenger traffic revenue on the India-Amsterdam and India-Paris routes. In an advanced form of commercial partnership, this will also involve closer tie-ups in sales and marketing, including common corporate and travel agency contracts.
Media reports indicate Anil Ambani had earlier explored opportunity to start an airline on his own or through investment in an existing carrier.
13/04/18 Arindam Majumder & Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

0 comments:

Post a Comment