Source: Thomson Financial Author: 07/28/2008
Subject Concerned: Government Airlines
High-level managers of state-owned Chinese aviation company Air China held talks with bankers and politicians in Vienna last week, discussing the option of taking a stake in Austrian Airlines (AUA), Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing no sources.
According to the paper, a representative of Chinese investment bank China International Capital Corporation (CICC) also participated in the talks.
AUA is due to report second-quarter results on July 29.
Two weeks ago, Air China's acting chairman Kong Dong said the company, which is trying to find a partner in western Europe, is looking at AUA, the paper added.
The Austrian government holds 43 percent in AUA, which employees 8,000 people.