Manufacturing Industry

AOM/Air Liberte sceptical about new offer from AITI

Airline Industry Information, June 4, 2001

AITI, a consulting company based in the UK, has apparently offered USD430m to purchase the ailing French airline group AOM/Air Liberte.

AITI announced on 31 May that it had notified Air Liberte chairman Marc Rochet about the proposal on 18 May and stated that it would be meeting with representatives of the airlines' employee committee 'within the coming days', according to The Associated Press.

AOM/Air Liberte is majority-owned by Swissair Group and Marine-Wendel SA, which have only promised funding for the carriers through June.

The offer from AITI has been received with scepticism by AOM/Air Liberte, which stated that it has no proof yet that the company has the money to support the offer. Swissair Group and Marine-Wendel SA also indicated that AITI was the same company that suggested last week that Virgin Express was interested in the French airline group. Virgin Express has denied any interest in the airlines and AITI has stated that it is operating on its own behalf and not for a third party, Reuters reported.

A spokesperson for the CGT union at AOM has reportedly claimed that a meeting was held with AITI executive Frederic Vanderlynden last week and that this meeting had gone well. The union spokesperson also stated, 'They seemed to have the money. This is a positive development as it will oblige other interested parties to come out into the open.'

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