HNA Group, China's No. 4 airline group, was one of five final bidders for Hochtief AG's airports business, a Chinese newspaper reported on Thursday, citing sources it did not identify.

HNA Group Chairman Chen Feng traveled to Dusseldorf and Berlin this month after the group submitted its bid through an airports unit, the 21st Century Business Herald said.

About five bidders were conducting due-diligence assessments and will likely offer up to EUR800 million to EUR900 million (US$1.14 billion to US$1.28 billion) for Hochtief's airports business, sources close to the transaction told Reuters earlier this month.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) was teaming up with Allianz , and a consortium of Fraport and Deutsche Bank's RREEF was also among the remaining bidders, according to one of the people close to the process.

Vinci SA , the world's largest public works group, which runs nine regional airports in France, will most likely also submit an offer, as will Singapore's Changi Airport, two other sources said.