Come da titolo.
Mossa inattesa, IMHO....
SEOUL—Korean Air Lines Co. said it is considering bidding for a 44% stake in Czech Airlines, which would be its first attempt to invest in a passenger carrier.
The South Korean flag carrier is conducting due diligence and hasn't decided whether to bid, either on its own or as part of a consortium, a company spokesman said Friday. He didn't give a figure for the deal.
Czech Airlines couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The Czech government has said it would consider selling the struggling carrier over the next several months, likely in April or May.Korean Air has been looking for an opportunity to expand into Central and Eastern Europe due to rising demand, and the state-run Czech carrier's routes and airport slots in the region make it an attractive option. Korean Air operates passenger flights to 11 cities in Europe, including Madrid, London, Paris and Istanbul, but in Central Europe it serves only Prague and Vienna. Czech Airlines' destinations include Bucharest, Budapest, Warsaw, Riga and Moscow.
Czech Airlines has been mired in losses due to competition from budget carriers, a slowdown in business from the euro-zone crisis and high fuel prices. Most of its planes, hangars and related services have already been sold.
Qatar Airways is another possible bidder. In January, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said the company would study whether there were any good synergies to be gained from Czech Airlines.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578305073534175556.html
Mossa inattesa, IMHO....
SEOUL—Korean Air Lines Co. said it is considering bidding for a 44% stake in Czech Airlines, which would be its first attempt to invest in a passenger carrier.
The South Korean flag carrier is conducting due diligence and hasn't decided whether to bid, either on its own or as part of a consortium, a company spokesman said Friday. He didn't give a figure for the deal.
Czech Airlines couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The Czech government has said it would consider selling the struggling carrier over the next several months, likely in April or May.Korean Air has been looking for an opportunity to expand into Central and Eastern Europe due to rising demand, and the state-run Czech carrier's routes and airport slots in the region make it an attractive option. Korean Air operates passenger flights to 11 cities in Europe, including Madrid, London, Paris and Istanbul, but in Central Europe it serves only Prague and Vienna. Czech Airlines' destinations include Bucharest, Budapest, Warsaw, Riga and Moscow.
Czech Airlines has been mired in losses due to competition from budget carriers, a slowdown in business from the euro-zone crisis and high fuel prices. Most of its planes, hangars and related services have already been sold.
Qatar Airways is another possible bidder. In January, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said the company would study whether there were any good synergies to be gained from Czech Airlines.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578305073534175556.html
