Transport

Thomas Cook confirms it’s open to a possible deal for its airline business

Shares in UK tour operator rose the most in more than two months

Thomas Cook is open to divesting its airline business. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters

Mon Jul 30 2018 - 12:01

Thomas Cook Group shares rose the most in more than two months after the UK tour operator confirmed it's open to a possible deal for its airline business. "While we are open to consolidation where it makes sense for our business, we have no current plans to sell our airline," Thomas Cook spokesman Johannes Winter said on Monday in response to a report in the Sunday Times.

The shares rose as much as 6.4 per cent in London.

The newspaper said the group held internal talks about selling a minority stake in its airline operations, possibly to shareholder Fosun International Holdings, in a move that would lead to the breakup of the 177-year-old travel company. The discussions centred on splitting the carrier out to free up cash, which would be used to repay debt and help finance expansion, the newspaper said. A possible separation is thought to be at an early stage and could lead to a capacity agreement with the acquirer, it said.

Consolidation

Europe's airline industry is in the midst of consolidation following last year's demise of Air Berlin, Germany's second-largest carrier which was mostly taken over by Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and Monarch Airlines. British Airways parent IAG SA has also made advances to buy Norwegian Air Shuttle, while carriers including Lufthansa and EasyJet have signaled interest in Alitalia SpA, which is being kept afloat by Italian government support.

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Thomas Cook has struggled to pay down debt and fund expansion of its hotels business as fierce competition from low-cost airlines depresses its margins in the transport sector. Added to that, online travel agencies have put pressure on tour operator margins. The company has about 100 aircraft, 55 of which fly at its German Condor arm, 33 at its UK airline and 12 with Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia.

Last year, it dissolved its Belgian airline, handing some jets to Lufthansa's Brussels Airlines and relocating others within the group. –Bloomberg

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