Shares of SpiceJet rose around six percent on Tuesday on reports that Qatar Airways may pick up stakes in the carrier. However, the airline denied the reports on being speculative.
Neil Mills, the airline's CEO told CNBC-TV18 that the company is not desperate to sell stake. "We will evaluate available options and only then will go ahead with any deal, " he said.
In the same breath, he also said that SpiceJet is keen to get a foreign investor on-board. Referring to the on-going Jet Air-Etihad Deal which is almost in final stages of negotiation, Mills said international joint ventures and competitions does not worry him, but he is keen to maintain market share. The airline's share is around 20% with rivals like Jet Air and Air India whose fleet size is more than double to that of SpiceJet.
Apart from Jet, even Kingfisher is learnt to be n talks with foreign investor after the government allowed FDI into the Indian aviation sector. The policy is aimed at helping cash-strapped carriers raise equity funds.
16/01/13 moneycontrol.com
