AUA says has no preference for potential tie-up candidate

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

VIENNA (AFP) — Austrian Airlines (AUA) Friday dismissed suggestions that it favoured Germany's Lufthansa as its potential buyer, insisting it is "neutral" with regard to its various suitors.

"Management remains perfectly neutral with regard to all possible buyers and will make every effort to secure a deal with the partner who can offer the best long-term perspective for the privatisation process," AUA said in a statement, rejecting reports that its preferred candidate was Lufthansa.

The Austrian government has given the state-owned holding company OeIAG until the end of the year to find a partner for AUA, which has nearly 900 million euros (1.4 billion dollars) of debt.

The airline sustained a first-half loss of 48.7 million euros and is projecting a...