Aeroflot Is Interested In Buying CSA

Yesterday we reported that the Czech Republic Cabinet has an intention to sell its 91.51 per cent stake of the national carrier Czech Airlines (ÄŒSA) during this year. The conditions of bidding were approved on Monday. The government will hold a two-round public tender. The deal is expected to be closed by September this year.

It seems that the Czech government has a possible buyer already. Interfax reports that the biggest Russian carrier Aeroflot expressed its interest in buying Czech Airlines. Valery Okulov, the general director of Aeroflot, told media people in Moscow: "We hope to receive [the tender documents] next week." It is necessary to add that Aeroflot has a long lasting wish to buy some European carrier. Thus, the Russians have been showing its interest in Czech Airlines for a year or even longer.

Mr. Okulov also commented upon the general influence of global financial crisis on the biggest Russian carrier. It should not impact the schedule for aircrafts delivery (including Sukhoi
SuperJet-100 regional airplanes) in the nearest future, because the funds were granted in 2007 and at the beginning of 2008.

During 2008 Aeroflot, which is de facto the Russia’s national carrier, increased its passenger traffic to 9.27 million passengers (13.5% growth) and passenger traffic including Aeroflot’s subsidiaries
Aeroflot Don and Aeroflot Nord has been raised to 11.6 million passengers (13.7% growth). Aeroflot’s transportation revenue during 2008 grew by 26%. Currently the Russian carrier reequips its fleet in favor of Western-made jets due to high operating cost of Tupolev airplanes.

Photo: Aeroflot’s Tu-144 displayed at the Museum Sinsheim in Germany, by Hans-Peter Scholz Ulenspiegel (wikimedia.org)