newstodate.aero
Oct 22, 2009 (newstodate): Despite denial by its CEO of plans for an imminent sale of the Icelandic carrier Primera Air, new information adds credibility to rumors circulating in the Icelandic aviation circles.
The largest private airline company in the Czech Republic, Travel Service, partly owned by Icelandair, has emerged as a likely new owner of the shares in Primera Air, now held by Andri Mar Ingolfsson.
-Together with the Icelandair Group we have been in talks with Primera Air for the past two or three weeks, and we can expect a decision shortly, say in a week or so, says Roman Vik, Travel Service CEO.
Travel Service is 50 percent owned by the Icelandair Group, and the remainder of the stake is held by Mr Roman Vik and the Czech Unimex Group.
The Icelandair Group first acquired 50 percent of the shares in Travel Service in May, 2007, later expanding its stake to 66 percent in line with earlier plan to take over the remaining 50 percent as well.
The share capital of Travel Group was however expanded in summer 2009 through additional acquisitions by the two other co-owners Unimex Group and Roman Vik that increased their ownership from 34 to 49.9 percent, while Icelandair Group's share dropped again to 50.1 percent.
It is not known at this stage if a change of the ownership by the Icelandair Group in the Czech Travel Service will also be involved in the expected deal with Primera Air.
The largest private airline company in the Czech Republic, Travel Service, partly owned by Icelandair, has emerged as a likely new owner of the shares in Primera Air, now held by Andri Mar Ingolfsson.
-Together with the Icelandair Group we have been in talks with Primera Air for the past two or three weeks, and we can expect a decision shortly, say in a week or so, says Roman Vik, Travel Service CEO.
Travel Service is 50 percent owned by the Icelandair Group, and the remainder of the stake is held by Mr Roman Vik and the Czech Unimex Group.
The Icelandair Group first acquired 50 percent of the shares in Travel Service in May, 2007, later expanding its stake to 66 percent in line with earlier plan to take over the remaining 50 percent as well.
The share capital of Travel Group was however expanded in summer 2009 through additional acquisitions by the two other co-owners Unimex Group and Roman Vik that increased their ownership from 34 to 49.9 percent, while Icelandair Group's share dropped again to 50.1 percent.
It is not known at this stage if a change of the ownership by the Icelandair Group in the Czech Travel Service will also be involved in the expected deal with Primera Air.