Air France-KLM has become the first company to formally launch a bid for TAP Air Portugal, submitting a non-binding offer to the Portuguese government ahead of a deadline for submissions. Group chief executive Ben Smith cites the flag carrier's main hub at Lisbon plus its "strong brand and unique value proposition" as a rationale behind the bid. "TAP is a natural fit within Air France-KLM’s multi-hub strategy, and our ambition is to strengthen the operations at Lisbon while developing connectivity in other cities across the country including Porto. We look forward to the next steps of the privatisation process," he comments. The non-binding offer was submitted on 2 April, and confirms the group’s "unaltered, strong and continued interest in TAP" it states. Thanks to its geographical position in the southwest corner of Europe, any takeover would see TAP become Air France-KLM’s hub for travel across the south Atlantic to countries such as Brazil, described as a "key market" for both TAP and Air France-KLM, as well as Africa. Smith has previously described the prospect of acquiring TAP’s south Atlantic connections as "extremely powerful for us" as it looks to establish itself on key long-haul routes to growing markets. The Portuguese government has indicated previously that it is seeking a buyer for 44.9% of TAP, which would see the state retain a majority stake for an initial period. 5% of its shares would be reserved for its employees. Air France-KLM notes that integration into the group would connect TAP with its worldwide commercial network, including the "close engagement" with fellow SkyTeam members Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic. "This would help TAP achieve its vision of 'embracing the world'. As TAP and Air France-KLM operate largely complementary networks, Portugal as a whole would enjoy increased air connectivity," the Franco-Dutch group says. It also touts Air France-KLM’s clear framework towards consolidation which, it says, would enable TAP to "fully benefit from a smooth integration into a larger, robust group, with economies of scale and a global reach, strengthening its competitiveness." Any takeover would retain the TAP branding and identity, along with its regional footprint, both key conditions set out by the Portuguese government. A rival bid for TAP is expected to come from Lufthansa Group. On 19 March, chief executive Carsten Spohr described TAP as "the perfect match for us" given its presence over the south Atlantic. Unlike IAG or Air France-KLM, Lufthansa does not have a main hub in the west of Europe, added Spohr, which should alleviate regulators' concerns about the impact on competition. "That's an argument for Lufthansa to have TAP," he said adding that "the antitrust situation is not as bad for us as for our competitors". IAG provided a conditional bid for a stake in TAP in November, although it said that "several terms would need to be addressed” before the company proposed an investment. Press reports have indicated that it may have backed away from a formal bid given its desire to quickly build a majority stake in the carrier, action that may be hampered by the Portuguese government's conditions of sale.

Lufthansa has submitted a non-binding offer for TAP Air Portugal, following Air France-KLM who made their own bid for the carrier with the Portuguese government on 2 April. A spokesperson confirmed the bid placement to Cirium but did not offer any further commentary. Lufthansa had been widely expected to submit an offer ahead on a 2 April deadline, with group chief executive Carsten Spohr recently describing TAP as "the perfect match for us" given its presence over the south Atlantic. Unlike IAG or Air France-KLM, Lufthansa does not have a main hub in the west of Europe, which should alleviate regulators' concerns about the impact on competition. "That's an argument for Lufthansa to have TAP," Spohr stated in March, adding that "the antitrust situation is not as bad for us as for our competitors". IAG provided a conditional bid for a stake in TAP in November, although it said that "several terms would need to be addressed” before the company proposed an investment. The Portuguese authorities are believed to be seeking a buyer for 44.9% of TAP, which would see the state retain a majority stake for an initial period. Five percent of its shares would be reserved for its employees.

Italy's ITA Airways has officially joined Star Alliance, with the carrier set to become fully connected to its global network from 1 April. "Joining Star Alliance marks a historic milestone for ITA Airways and a defining step in our growth," states chief executive Joerg Eberhart. The airline notes that Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate will be served by 17 Star Alliance members collectively. ITA explains that its induction to the alliance has been "mentored" by Lufthansa Group via an intense integration programme over the past several months. Lufthansa Group has owned a 41% stake in the Italian carrier since January last year, with a majority held by the Italian government. Lufthansa has a June deadline to decide whether to expand its stake. Collaboration with partner airlines has been a feature of ITA's business model since its launch in 2021. This has mainly involved its part-owner, as ITA has integrated its network and operations with Lufthansa Group over the past year. However, ITA said in a 25 March statement that its performance in 2025 had been held back by "the absence of commercial support from a partner carrier on routes between Italy and the United States, the company's primary international market". It later clarified to Cirium that, though it had agreed a partnership with Star Alliance founding member United Airlines in September, "at present, our co-operation... is limited to a codeshare agreement. We are currently awaiting approval from the relevant US authorities for ATI [antitrust immunity] in relation to the A++ joint venture." With the addition of ITA, Star Alliance now spans 26 member airlines, offering more than 17,500 daily flights across 190 countries.