Lufthansa Seeking to Purchase Spanair

Filed in archive Aviation News on July 28, 2007

It looks like Lufthansa is definitely looking to expand its empire. Early reports state that the German airliner was interested in buying Spanish airline, Iberia. But, now it seems it's also seeking to buy Spanair, the second biggest Spanish Airline.

SAS is looking to sell Spanair to focus on its flagship carrier, Scandinavian Airlines, and its smaller airlines Blue 1, Wideroe, airBaltic and Estonian Air.

The newspaper quoted sources close to Spanair as saying that Lufthansa, which is already linked to Spanair within the Star Alliance of which SAS and Spanair are members, is also considering a bid to take over the Spanish company from SAS.

Lufthansa declined to comment on the report.

The newspaper added that the Portuguese airline TAP is also mulling making a bid for Spanair.

The Spanish tour operator Marsans, which already owns two other companies, AirComet and Aerolineas Argentinas, has already said that it is interested in buying the airline with a view to creating a global operator.

Over the past few months, Lufthansa has often been cited as a possible buyer of another Spanish airline, Iberia, which is looking for a partner, but the German company has not officially thrown its hat in the ring.

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