Cesky Aeroholding Picks Sporitelna as CSA Sale Adviser

Cesky Aeroholding AS, a holding of state airline and the Prague airport, picked the Ceska Sporitelna AS as an adviser for the sale of the state-run airline.

“We chose the winner from three bids offered, according to the lowest price,” Michaela Lagronova, a spokeswoman for the Holding, said by phone today. UniCredit SpA (UCG) and Patria Finance AS were the other bidders, Lagronova said. Ceska Sporitelna is the Czech unit of Erste Group Bank AG. (EBS)

The Czech Finance Ministry sent out letters to 50 largest world’s airlines asking them to indicate a preliminary interest in the unprofitable state carrier Ceske Aerolinie AS before the end of this month. The government is looking for a partner to develop CSA and may even sell a stake in the carrier, the ministry said.

Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek should name airlines that showed preliminary interest in the carrier after the government’s session on Dec. 5, Lagronova said.

The government merged the carrier with Letiste Praha AS, Prague’s international airport, in a bid to the overhaul CSA after an attempt to sell it in 2009 failed.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lenka Ponikelska in Prague at lponikelska1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James M. Gomez at jagomez@bloomberg.net