“We recognise the value that TAP has built over the past 81 years: a solid hub in Lisbon, a strong brand and a unique offering with thousands of ports, providing high-quality connectivity,” said the CEO of the Air France-KLM group, Benjamin Smith, quoted in the statement.

He said he believes that the next chapter in the history of the Portuguese airline “must be written as part of the Air France-KLM Group, building on this legacy and elevating TAP to a new level.”

“TAP fits perfectly into Air France-KLM’s multi-hub strategy, and our goal is to strengthen operations in Lisbon while developing connectivity in other cities in the country, including Porto. We look forward to the next steps in this privatisation process,” he added.