The Portuguese government has selected Lufthansa Group to acquire an initial 44.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal for €1.025 billion, surpassing a rival offer from Air France-KLM. Should airline employees decline the 5% equity reserved for staff, Lufthansa's share could reach 49.9% for a total investment of €1.201 billion, leaving the Portuguese State with a 50.1% controlling interest.
Closing this partial privatization remains contingent on regulatory clearance. TAP Air Portugal operates a fleet of approximately 100 aircraft with an average age of 11 years, functioning as a vital Star Alliance connection across the South Atlantic, particularly between Europe and Brazil. In 2025, the flag carrier transported 16.7 million passengers, posting a net profit of €46 million on revenues of €4.3 billion.
Lufthansa Group currently operates 353 weekly flights across six Portuguese airports. The group also maintains an industrial presence in the country, including an ongoing Lufthansa Technik construction project near Porto scheduled to expand technical personnel beyond 1,000 employees by 2030.
Why it matters for your training
Airline group consolidation alters commercial fleets and Star Alliance network planning, impacting route expansion and crew planning on key South Atlantic pairings.
