Paris (AFP)

The future of two French airlines in crisis is played Monday in court: in Evry, the commercial court examines four applications for the takeover of Aigle Azur, while in Bobigny, XL Airways seeks its investment in recovery .

Aigle Azur, whose 11 aircraft have not flown since September 7 and was placed in bankruptcy with continued activity until Friday, has appointment at 08:30 at the commercial court of Evry, south of Paris.

Specializing in links with Algeria and serving the Mediterranean basin, the company, which has a liability of at least 148 million euros, makes the costs of strategic choices unfortunate, with the opening two years ago. lines to Beijing and Sao Paulo.

Four candidates filed bids for the company, which employs 800 people in France and 350 in Algeria and carried 1.88 million passengers last year.

Two former leaders of Air France, Lionel Guerin and Philippe Micouleau, propose to take over the "entire business", 787 employees and "a refocusing of the network on structurally profitable lines, especially Algeria", according to the return offer consulted by AFP. This is conditional on obtaining a participatory loan of 15 million euros from the State.

A second offer, presented by Gérard Houa, minority shareholder of Aigle Azur via the company Lu Azur, provides for the takeover of 90% of the current fleet and 82.2% of employees, and a financing of 30.4 million euros. euros, "half of which came from Mr. Houa and 15.4 million medium-term loan without suspensive clause", told AFP Philippe Bohn, a relative of Mr. Houa.

"Both have received a favorable opinion of the works council on Friday, with some reservations about their funding," AFP president of the union Aigle Azur SNPL (pilot) and member of the EC Martin Surzur told AFP.

The other two offers are from Vueling, the low-cost company of the IAG group that wants to get their hands on some of the Aigle Azur slots, and an offer in their own name.

Air France and the Dubreuil Group, parent company of the Air Caraïbes and French Bee companies, had considered filing a joint bid but gave up, notably because of the "social risks associated with the recovery of employees", according to Dubreuil.

- "Unbridled competition" -

XL Airways, which defends itself against any strategic error, declared Thursday on cessation of payment. She considers herself victim of the "unbridled international competition" of "long-haul" long haul and the weight of taxes and social charges in France, according to its CEO Laurent Magnin.

The company, which has stopped selling tickets since Thursday, warned that it was likely to cancel flights from Monday, the day the Commercial Court of Bobigny, north of Paris, must review his application for placement in receivership.

The unions called for a rally at 14:00 in court after a first demonstration at 11:00 in front of the Ministry of Transport.

The judicial recovery freezes the existing liabilities at the opening of the proceedings, during a period of observation that can last up to 18 months. It must allow the company to present a plan for the continuation of its activities with a reorganization of its indebtedness.

The long-haul company, owned by the French holding company DreamJet Participations since 2016, "needs 35 million to leave," said Magnin, who called on Air France to help.

Discussions are underway between XL Airways and potential buyers, including Air France, told AFP Sunday a source close to the case.

In a joint statement, travel companies (travel agencies), the union of tour operators (Seto) and the professional association of solidarity of tourism (APST) said Sunday to be "very favorable to the continuation of the activity XL Airways to maintain the French flag on destinations coveted by their customers ", especially the Caribbean and Reunion.

XL Airways employs 570 people. It has transported 730,000 passengers in 2018.

© 2019 AFP