Ryanair exploring bid for Aena

Ryanair aircraft landing / Flickr - Leoncio J

Many Spanish media are announcing this week that Ryanair is exploring the terms and conditions to place a bid for Aena.

According to Cincodías, in a piece published on Sep 3, Ryanair will make a decision within the forthcoming weeks. Ryanair’s marketing Director, Kenny Jacobs, assured they keep interested.

We have 20 days left and that is enough.

Ryanair was one of the first companies who confirmed interest in Aena. Before, they had been refused by Ferrovial in London-Gatwick airport.

Aena privatisation deadlines

These are the forthcoming dates to have in mind with regard to the Aena privatisation

  • Sep 23: Every company which is interested in the main nucleus—21% of Aena SA—must have placed bids by this date.
  • Sep 29: Enaire—the public company which currently controls Aena SA—must announce the candidates that qualify for the next step.
  • September: Aena is expected to call the banks that will be in charge  of the IPO. These banks will be Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Santander and BBVA.
  • Oct 7: The selected candidates are expected to present the documentation.
  • October: The CNMV is the Spanish government agency responsible for the financial regulation of the securities markets in Spain. In this month they are expected to approve the IPO’s brochure. Here, tentative prices will be shown. As soon as the market supervisor approves the process, further deadlines will be announced for the small investors to participate in the IPO.
  • November: Before the end of November it is expected that Aena’s shares officially start trading on the Spanish stock exchange.

Ryanair expecting to increase traffic in Spain

Ryanair will start new routes from Madrid this winter: Berlin, Bucharest, Bremen, Cologne, Eindhoven, Fes, Vilnius and Warsow. They will also start one from Barcelona: Cologne.

Moreover, they will increase frequencies in 13 routes from Madrid and in 9 from Barcelona.

Currently, Ryanair employs 28,000 people in Spain. They have a fleet with 53 aircrafts in Spain, which are expected to increase through the 180 plane order they have in course.

In Jacobs view, there is no relationship between the low cost airlines and the quality tourism.

More control over the hotel owners in certain areas would be necessary. Also over the airport authorities: increasing the airport charges does not provide assuranceof more quality in tourism.

 

Photo: Ryanair aircraft landing / Flickr – Leoncio J