Lufthansa Group is reportedly considering purchasing a stake in airBaltic as part of the airline’s planned privatisation, although discussions are still in the early stages and no decisions have been finalised.
airBaltic is planning an initial public offering (IPO) to raise around €300m (USD333m), with the Latvian government maintaining a 25pc stake post-listing.
The IPO is tentatively scheduled for late 2024 or early 2025, and there is interest from a “well-known investor,” as stated by the Latvian Minister of Economy, Viktors Valainis.
airBaltic has strong ties with the Lufthansa Group, operating several aircraft for its carriers and planning to establish crew bases at key Lufthansa hubs, aligning with Lufthansa’s search for a strategic ACMI partner.
Lufthansa Group currently wholly owns Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa City Airlines, and Lufthansa CityLine. It holds a 50pc stake in AeroLogic, a cargo joint venture with DHL Express, a 41pc stake in ITA Airways, and a 40pc stake in SunExpress, a joint venture with Turkish Airlines.
