Ryanair vuole comprare Aer Lingus

Il governo irlandese annuncia di non voler cedere la sua quota...
Mi chiesto: visto che Aer Lingus opera anche voli intercontinentali, se andrà in porto l'acquisto inizierà la stagione low cost anche per quelle destinazioni?


Articolo da
The Guardian

Ryanair launches bid for Aer Lingus

Hans Kundnani and Dan Milmo
Thursday October 5, 2006

Ryanair announced today it has launched a €1.48bn (£1bn) takeover bid for Aer Lingus which, if successful, would turn the budget airline into a transatlantic carrier.
It has already acquired a 16% stake in the Irish flag carrier, which was floated only last month.
But the Irish government swiftly said it would not sell its 25.1% stake in the company, despite Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary's claims that it would mean cheaper flights.
A spokesman for the Irish finance ministry said: "The Irish government remains fully and firmly committed to competition in the aviation markets. It will not sell its shares in Aer Lingus."
Mr O'Leary said that was not a problem. "I am happy for the Irish government to be a significant minority shareholder in Aer Lingus," he told Sky News.
Aer Lingus is also set to reject the bid at a board meeting this afternoon.
The takeover is dependent on shareholders holding 90% of Aer Lingus shares agreeing to the deal.
Ryanair's all-cash offer of €2.80 per share valued Aer Lingus at around €1.48bn and represents a premium of 27% over the IPO share price of €2.20 per share and a premium of 12% over yesterday's closing share price of €2.51.
"We believe the price of €2.80 to be an excellent offer," Mr O'Leary said. "If accepted the Irish Government will realise over €500m from the sale of their Aer Lingus shares, and the employees will realise over €220m which equates to an average of over €60,000 per employee."
Mr O'Leary, said the offer "represents a unique opportunity to form one strong airline group for Ireland and for European consumers. We will expand, enhance and upgrade the Aer Lingus operations".
He added: "Ryanair has grown to be Europe's largest low fares airline by continuously lowering prices and funding these reductions through cost savings and efficiencies.
"We believe there is an opportunity to apply this successful low fares formula to Aer Lingus where currently, in its short haul operation, fares and costs remain far too high."
Mr O'Leary said the takeover would "establish an Irish airline group with over 50m passengers annually, capable of competing on the European and World stage against other large airlines" such as Lufthansa and British Airways.
Even if the Irish government agreed to sell its stake, the takeover would have to be cleared by European competition authorities.
Ryanair said "there are numerous precedents across Europe (for example in the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Scandinavia) for two airlines of similar nationality coming together to form a stronger, more widely diversified airline group. The European Union has recognized the value of competitive European airline consolidation because of the benefit it brings to consumers."
The airline said that if the bid was successful, both companies would continue to operate separately and compete on routes where they both operate. He said he estimated they currently compete on 17 of the approximately 500 routes operated by the two airlines.
The Ryanair boss also said it would reduce Aer Lingus's average short haul fare by 2.5% a year for a minimum period of four years, and reduce its fuel surcharges, which have increased as oil prices have risen.
Aer Lingus shares were up 14% at €2.87 this morning. Ryanair was up 1.7% at €8.85.