Central European budget carrier SkyEurope is facing further pressure after Greek-based company SAPO broke all ties with investment company Longstock, with which it had been preparing a takeover of the struggling airline.

SAPO had set up a joint Gibraltar-based company with Portugal's Longstock in December, with the purpose of acquiring a controlling stake in SkyEurope.

But SAPO says it has "withdrawn from the joint venture agreement", claiming "non-performance" from Longstock. Longstock could not immediately be reached to comment.

SAPO president Georges Samaha tells ATI, however, that the company is "still in direct negotiations with SkyEurope".

 

SkyEurope W450

The Greek firm specialises in corporate aviation and luxury tourism and is undergoing a strategic realignment.

As part of this change it received last month a letter of interest from the US ExIm Bank to finance four Boeing 737-700s for a yet-to-be-disclosed aviation project.

For more on SkyEurope read our recent interview with chief executive Jason Bitter

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news