Lufthansa refuses to comment on O’Leary bid remarks

GERMAN flag carrier Lufthansa was refusing to comment yesterday on remarks made by Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary about the ability of the airline to make a cash bid for its rival operator.

In response to a question at Ryanair’s full-year results media presentation in London, yesterday, Mr O’Leary said that the low-fares specialist would seriously consider a bid for Lufthansa, on account that the German company’s market value has declined significantly in recent times and continues to fall.

The Ryanair chief added that the German airline had “a bright future” and would be the only one of the big three players in the European aviation industry (the others being British Airways and Air France/KLM) that Ryanair would seriously look at. He added that Lufthansa’s only current problem is that its fares “are too high”.