Lufthansa to announce decision on Brussels Airlines this month

The German airline Lufthansa will announce on 27 April whether it plans to acquire the remaining share in Brussels Airlines. Lufthansa owns 45% of the airline and is expected to bid for the remainder, according to German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Lufthansa took an option to buy the shares when it acquired its current stake in 2008. The option became active in 2011. Brussels Airlines is a member of Lufthansa’s frequent flyer programme Miles & More. The package of 55% of the airline could be worth €250 million, the newspaper said.

Lufthansa is particularly attracted by Brussels Airlines’ flights to Africa, as well as its presence in Brussels but sees it as too small to be viable on its own. The airline would come under the care of Eurowings, which would take over certain central functions. Whether the Brussels Airlines brand would continue is not known.

Last week, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr visited Brussels and met with King Filip, prime minister Charles Michel, Brussels Airlines CEO Bernard Gustin and chair Etienne Davignon. Whether the subject of the takeover was raised is not known.

Photo: Lasse Fuss/Wikimedia