Several bidders are planning to submit a bid for the privatization of the 49.9% stake in the Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac airport, France.

The request for qualification started in July this year. Although we have no news regarding the firms shortlisted for the privatization, InfraPPP has found out that the following companies have participated in the tender process:

• Aéroports de Paris - Predica (Credit Agricole)
• Vinci Airports, EDF Invest and CDC Infrastructures (subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts)
• Ardian - Ferrovial
• SNC Lavalin - Macquarie

The submission of indicative offers ended yesterday, September 15th. The final deadline for submission of bids is October 31st.

The stake of the fourth airport in France in terms of passenger traffic is being sold by the French government. According to sources, the privatization process will be done in two phases. In the second phase the new shareholder will increase an additional 10.1% stake in the airport totaling a 60% stake.

Toulouse-Blagnac airport has been a limited liability company since 23 March 2007. Shareholders include the French government (60%), Toulouse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (25%), the Regional Council (5%), the Departmental Council (5%) and the Urban Area (5%). Toulouse-Blagnac Airport S.A. operates under a franchise agreement granted by the French government until 2046.

The airport is located 6.7 km west northwest of Toulouse, and partially in Blagnac, both communes of the Haute-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. In 2012, the airport served about 7.6 million passengers.