Turkish Airlines is holding non-binding discussions to assess a potential investment in Spanish airline Air Europa and explore possible partnership synergies, it said in a statement.
The confirmation, in a filing to the stock exchange late on Friday, followed a Reuters report on June 20 that Turkish Airlines was exploring a bid for a minority stake in Air Europa.
The flag carrier said it regularly evaluates growth opportunities to strengthen its global position and competitiveness in the aviation industry.
“There have been media reports stating that Turkish Airlines is in discussions to acquire shares in Air Europa. In this context, non-binding discussions are being held to assess the investment opportunity in Air Europa and to explore potential partnership synergies,” the company said in the statement.
Turkish Airlines’ consideration of a bid is significant, as there are few examples of carriers outside Europe buying shares in players in the region.
Air Europa flies within Spain, and between Madrid and large cities in Europe and Latin America.
(Reporting Canan Sevgili)
