Airline to submit "expression of interest"
Air France KLM has confirmed that it is interested in buying a stake in CSA Czech Airlines.
Its ceo Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said it will submit an "expression of interest" to the Czech Republic's government by the March 23 deadline.
He told reporters in New York: "We understand the Czech government is interested in finding a buyer for a significant part [of CSA].
"We don't have a lot of information but we are of course very attentive because CSA is a SkyTeam partner."
AF KLM had earlier said it was interested in further consolidation of the European airline industry after it bought a 25% stake in Alitalia for €323m in January this year.
The Czech government has a 91.51% stake in CSA with the rest owned by other Czech institutions.
It said in January that it wished to sell off this stake by September for 5bn Czech crowns (€178m).
Despite fears that the economic downturn would cause the sale to be postponed, the Czech government has set a March 23 for "expressions of interest" from possible buyers.
Before Mr Gourgeon's announcement, the only other carrier to have expressed an interest was the Russian airline, Aeroflot, also a Sky Team member.
Mr Gourgeon also said that AF KLM would postpone delivery of two A380s, the sixth and seventh the carrier had ordered from Airbus.
He said the move would "create some savings on the down payment this year and the year after."
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