Lisbon, May 26, 2026 (Lusa) - The privatisation of flag carrier, TAP, is part of the strategy to strengthen Portugal’s position as an international aviation hub, the infrastructure minister said on Tuesday, adding that the airline’s future “is not simply a corporate decision”.
During a visit to Airspace World 2026, which runs until the 28th at the Lisbon International Fair, Miguel Pinto Luz said that “Today’s aviation sector is not just discussing how to manage airspace more efficiently. We are discussing how to build the skies of tomorrow”.
The current debate in the aviation sector covers topics such as connectivity, digitalisation, resilience, sustainability and safety, all of which demand alignment between governments, operators and companies, he said.
“Portugal does not view aviation as an isolated sector,” he said.
"Portugal wants to position itself not only as a key location, but as a reliable platform for airspace, aviation, defence and security," he added.
He cited the decisive phase of TAP’s privatisation process as “the clearest example” of this strategy.
“Portugal invited Air France-KLM and Lufthansa to submit proposals and their frameworks, based on financial criteria and on national strategic priorities,” he said.
Air France–KLM and Lufthansa remain in the race to reprivatise TAP, after International Airlines Group (IAG), owner of Iberia and British Airways, did not submit a bid.
In this third phase of the tender, interested parties must submit binding bids by July.
The government intends to sell up to 49.9% of the company’s capital, of which 44.9% to a lead investor and up to 5% reserved for employees, in a process that will consider the price, the business plan, connectivity and the buyer’s financial capacity.
"TAP’s future is not simply a corporate decision; it is part of a broader national strategy to ensure that Portugal remains a major aviation hub in terms of its scale, maintenance capacity and global projection," he said.
Airspace World 2026 is an initiative dedicated to airspace and air traffic management, bringing together decision-makers, industry experts and other stakeholders to discuss the key challenges and developments in aviation.
PYR/MYAL // AYLS
Lusa
