An envelope of 7 billion euros will therefore be released by France to ensure the survival of the Air France KLM group, as confirmed on 24 April by the management of the Franco-Dutch group. Most of this aid (four billion euros) will come from a Loan guaranteed by the French Statewhich provides for two one-year extension options. As a shareholder, the French government is also providing a 3 billion loanwith two options for extension. According to information released on Friday, this support plan is subject to two conditions: approval by the European Commission (officially granted since 4 May), but also commitments on the part of Air France KLM, which will have to rethink its business model. The French government expects the carrier to prepare a roadmap adapted to the new context that will emerge at the end of the crisis, and to speed up its sustainable transition. For the Chief Executive Officer of the Air France-KLM Group, Benjamin Smith, " This support and the Group's action plan will enable us to get through this crisis and face the future of Air France-KLM with ambition and determination. ".
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In addition to this financial support of €7 billion from the French government, there will also be support from theDutch State. In fact, the two shareholders have opted for a differentiated supporteach targeting the national airline. The press release issued on Friday states that the attacks are " enable the Air France-KLM Group to guarantee Air France the means to meet its obligations by continuing its transformation to adapt in a sector that will be largely disrupted by the global crisis ".
This financial support is not an isolated case. A few days earlier, the United States had already unveiled a a vast rescue plan for US carriersof 25 billion dollars. Le Lufthansa Group also hopes to be able to count on aid from the State, or rather from the respective governments of each of the group's companies. Thus, the management of Lufthansa - which estimates its operating losses at 1.2 billion euros in the first quarter - spoke on 23 April of " intense negotiations "with the governments concerned.
