Smartwings, the owner of Czech Airlines, said it is looking for state loans or guarantees but has no interest in the Czech government taking an equity stake in the company.
Smartwings comments follow Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček’s suggestion that the state could buy up to a 100 percent stake in the company.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the state would buy the company for one crown. The travel industry has been lobbying the government to provide support to the airline, Babis added.
In an appearance on Czech Television Deputy PM, Jan Hamáček said: “the purchase of Smartwings is not on the table.”
The Smartwings Group includes the airlines Smartwings and Czech Airlines (CSA). The group employs 2,500 people and moved 8.2 million passengers in 2019.