The Greek government said Thursday it would throw the country's main carrier Aegean Airlines a lifeline of up to 120 million euros ($146 million) in return for a stake in the company. Aegean Airlines "will receive state financial support... up to the loss it sustained as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic," government spokesman Christos Tarantilis said after a cabinet meeting. In return, the carrier will give the Greek state stock warrants worth 11.5 percent of its shares after a capital increase of at least 60 million euros, for a period of two to five years, Tarantilis said. He noted that the move had already been approved by the European Commission. In November, Aegean Airlines said it had sustained a net loss of over 187 million euros during the first nine months of 2020 as Greece's vital tourism industry was severely impacted by global travel restrictions. jph/spm