BA explores Qantas merger
December 2, 2008British Airways (BA) has confirmed that it is exploring the possibility of a merger with Qantas Airways.
The UK's flag carrier has released a statement that disclosed it is in talks with the Australian airline, which operates services from a variety of UK bases including London Heathrow Airport and Manchester International Airport.
This announcement follows indications from the Australian government that it is prepared to relax its rules on foreign ownership, which would have ensured that Qantas remained at least 51 per cent Australian-owned.
BA said that there is no guarantee that "any transaction will be forthcoming" and revealed that a further announcement "will be made in due course".
These talks join ongoing discussions between BA and the Spanish airline Iberia, which would sit alongside a possible deal with the Australian airline.
Qantas, which flies to 81 destinations in five continents, is the world's second oldest continuously operating passenger carrier.
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