China Southern weighs Slovenian dealsk

A China Southern Airlines' Boeing 777-300ER makes its maiden passenger flight from Guangzhou to Shanghai March 2, 2014. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China Southern Airlines Co Ltd is considering acquisitions in Slovenia that will help it expand its presence in Europe.

China Southern is one of 20-plus potential buyers that have expressed interest in a 75 percent stake in the capital Ljubljana's Joze Pucnik Airport, according to EX-YU Aviation News, a blog that covers the aviation industry in Eastern Europe.

The Chinese carrier will compete with airlines, airports, pension funds and investment groups from around the world for the stake.

China Southern might make other acquisitions in the Slovenian aviation industry, including Adria Airways DD and maintenance company Adria Airways Tehnika DD, which are also up for sale, the blog reported.

Peng Jun, director of China Southern's public relations department, said that she wasn't aware of any such pending acquisition. The board secretary's office didn't respond to queries as of press time.

In March, the airport announced that KPMG LLP, which is acting as a consultant for the sale on behalf of the majority shareholders of airport operator Aerodrom Ljubljana DD, was seeking declarations of interest in the purchase of a majority shareholding.

In the first phase of the sale, non-binding offers for 75.5 percent of the shares in Aerodrom Ljubljana will be accepted.

"The plan is for joint sales involving multiple shareholders to be completed by the summer," the airport said in a statement.

The airport's better-than-expected performance last year has drawn wide interest from possible buyers. Passenger throughput was 1.32 million last year.

In the first quarter of 2014, passenger numbers were up almost 13 percent.

Net profit was up 5.4 percent in the first quarter at 857,000 euros ($1.18 million).

This isn't the first move by the Chinese airline industry into Europe.

Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co Ltd, a State-owned company in Henan province, spent $231 million for a 35 percent stake in Cargolux Airlines International SAS.

The transaction will mean that Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in the provincial capital will become the European freight carrier's second global hub.

HNA Group Co Ltd, China's fourth-largest airline group, purchased 48 percent of the shares in Societe Aigle Azur Transports Aeriens, known as Aigle Azur, a Paris-based private airline, in 2012.

As a result of the transaction, the group will run services between Paris and Beijing starting next month.

"There were many opportunities for Chinese enterprises in recent years, as the European aviation industry was in a slump," said Li Lei, a civil aviation analyst with China Minzu Securities Co Ltd.

There have been signals recently that the industry is recovering and Chinese buyers are more confident about acquisitions, he added.