Eurowings Sees 'Some Viable Options' For Consolidation

Eurowings, the unit Lufthansa hopes to use for consolidation among airlines in Europe, has been approached by potential partners but is not interested in restructuring struggling carriers, executives said.

"There are some viable options out there," Karl Ulrich Garnadt, a board member at parent Lufthansa and head of Eurowings, told investors at a presentation. "We have a very clear picture of what's in the market, we have been approached, but there are no decisions yet."

Eurowings sees two types of potential partners - efficient airlines that fly direct routes with a low cost base which are coming up against their growth limits, and small and medium sized carriers that have come under pressure from low cost carriers in their home market, Eurowings development executive Max Kownatzki said.

"We're not a point of collection for ailing airlines that need to be restructured," he said.

Lufthansa is currently in talks regarding bringing part-owned Brussels Airlines into its Eurowings platform but has dismissed the idea of taking an equity stake in SAS.