LONDON: British Airways, Europe’s second leading airline, has said it expects to make a bid for Spain’s Iberia in December.
The consortium that the airways has formed with US private equity firm Texas Pacific Group and three Spanish partners could make the offer “within the next four to six weeks,” the Spanish news agency EFE quoted a Financial Times report as saying.
British Airway’s chief executive, Willie Walsh, has said he was prepared to make a push for Spain’s flagship airline, Europe’s fourth largest, next month (December).
The Financial Times quoted Walsh as saying he had become “more encouraged about the possibilities for deeper co-operation with Iberia.”
The executive’s remarks coincided with BA’s announcement of record net income of 478 million pounds ($996 million, 690 million euros) for the six months ending Sep 30, up 52 percent from the same period in 2006.
Well this is about time. I mean if we look this are the only two MAJOR airlines that are partners and haven’t merged. If they do merge i wonder whether they will keep IB Colours/Uniform/Service. This could be a powerful airline with MAD and LHR recently or going to open new terminals (T4 at MAD and T5 at LHR). If we also look with the recent Takeover of GB airways travellers will still enjoy there Premium service in Club Europe when going to TFS etc
BA/IB could have a Major Airbus fleet with A319/A320/A321/A340-300/A340-600 and the recently ordered A380 as well as the 757/787/777.
By: keltic - 4th November 2007 at 20:23
Yes, yes please………purchase Iberia, and close it down next. 🙂 please let us free…..I would only feel sorry for the loss of jobs of the employees, but most Spaniards would be really grateful.
By: Jet 22 - 4th November 2007 at 16:38
Well it will be like LH. It will have IB as a subsabdairy with seats been sold on IB flight to JFK etc and South America where along with other airlines IB has a good presence
By: Mark L - 4th November 2007 at 14:36
The two won’t merge in anywhere near the same way as AF/KL have.
BA are making their bid as a partner alongside bigger venture capital companies who will retain a far bigger stake in IB than BA will.
There will probably be a slightly further deepening of the relationship between the two airlines but tbh nothing much more visible than we see already. The operations of BA and IB are already very close indeed.
By: tommyinyork - 4th November 2007 at 14:23
Imagine British Iberia Airways.
By: Jet 22 - 4th November 2007 at 14:03
By: adamdowley - 4th November 2007 at 13:56
Out of curiosity, where’s the article from?
Also, not quite sure what you mean about GB Airways?
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November 4, 2007 at 11:39 am