The Swissair Group is experiencing a deteriorating situation in France where Air Littoral is facing imminent bankruptcy proceedings ahead of last-minute meetings intended to thrash out a rescue strategy.
Montpellier-based Air Littoral, in which Swissair has a 49.5% stake, is holding a series of workers council meetings involving unions and management at which potential take-over contenders are presenting their plans.
Ex-chairman Marc Dufour is the only declared bidder, although there are believed to be others. His preferred method of salvaging the company involves the loss of 20-30% of the workforce and various other conditions.
Meanwhile, just days before the massive French summer holiday rush, Swissair's other French airline, AOM-Air Liberte, has still to announce a rescue package that will save it from almost certain liquidation.
The Tribunal de Commerce de Creteil, which is handling the carrier's bankruptcy affairs, has only permitted the airline until 2 July to come up with new investment plans before it is potentially wound up with the loss of 5,100 jobs.
Passengers booked onto AOM-Air Liberte flights are besieging travel agents - and the airline - with requests for reimbursement or re-booking onto alternative carriers.
Yet another rescue hat has been tossed into the takeover ring, however, with the addition of Toulouse-based wet-lease operator Aeris (formerly Air Toulouse) expressing its interest in taking part of the AOM-Air Liberte.
Meanwhile, Aeris says that it may acquire "three Boeing MD-83s and two McDonnell Douglas DC-10s" from AOM-Air Liberte as part of plans to serve long-haul destinations such as the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Source: Flight International
