France to sell stake in world's largest airline

The French government today said was to sell a 17.7% stake in Air France-KLM, the world’s largest airline, in a move that would help the state reduce its debt and scale back its influence on the Franco-Dutch carrier.

A Finance Ministry spokeswoman said the government asked two banks, France’s Societe General SA and the Netherlands’ ABN Amro Holding NV, to handle the sale of the stake involving some 48 million shares.