Air France CEO says ready to bid for Portugal's TAP

LISBON (Reuters) - The CEO of Air France-KLM, Ben Smith, said on Friday the airline was ready to present its project for the privatisation of Portugal's flag carrier TAP, and intended to invest in local economy and connect the country's secondary cities.

"Portugal is a great country and a strategic market for Air France-KLM. TAP Air Portugal is an emblematic airline that has built a powerful hub in Lisbon, open to the world," he said in a statement during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Portugal.

"We want to maintain and develop TAP's strong brand and highly valuable hub, drawing on the expertise of the company's staff."

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, writing by Andrei Khalip)