- Aegean Airlines begins bond offering, inviting the usual crowd of speculators and would-be magnates;
- Seven-year bond, face value up to 250 million euros;
- Minimum coverage is set at 200 million euros because nothing says confidence like a buffer.
- Interest rates range from 3.7% to 4.05%, enough to tempt only those with low standards or short memories;
- Private investors get at least 30% of the bonds, handpicked for their talent at losing money;
- The rest, a generous 70%, reserved for those who allegedly know what they’re doing;
- The bidding window is open for only three days, just enough time for the panic to set in.
Aegean Airlines, not one to shy away from grand gestures, will set loose a public bond offering this Monday. The seven-year bond, capped at an impressive 250 million euros, is peppered with just enough aspiration to lure both the naive and the overconfident. As if the risk appetite were a local delicacy, the carrier has set a minimum coverage limit of € 200 million for this little adventure.
While those looking to part with their travel funds can submit bids until Wednesday, it’s hardly a leisurely affair. The interest rate—lingering between 3.7 and 4.05%—suggests confidence in the airline’s long-term vision, matched only by those who believe in perpetual sunshine on the Aegean.
Who Gets the Bones and Who Gets the Scraps
At least 30 per cent of the bonds, or approximately 75,000 shiny certificates, are slated for private investors if Aegean Airlines achieves maximum reception. Nothing says inclusivity like letting everyday tourists and small-time dreamers buy a piece of debt. The larger share—up to a heroic 70%—is left for “specialized and private investors,” as though experience with disappointment somehow makes losses more palatable.
Public expectations circle the event like gulls over a cruise ship buffet. Hopes are high, but so is the possibility that someone will leave with sunburned optimism and a suitcase full of regret.
The offering itself feels like a well-rehearsed play: neat, fast, and unapologetically bold. Will tourists choose to step off the beach and into the thrilling world of bonds, or will their wallets remain closed, preferring the promise of a sunset ouzo over a seven-year commitment to a Greek carrier’s financial optimism? The window, after all, closes quickly—just like patience and good sense in tourist season.
