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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Qatar wants 10% of American Airlines | Qatar wants 10% of American Airlines |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| American Airlines has received an "unsolicited" approach from Qatar Airways which wants to acquire 10% of the US carrier. | American Airlines has received an "unsolicited" approach from Qatar Airways which wants to acquire 10% of the US carrier. |
| In a regulatory filing, American Airlines said Qatar intended to buy at least $808m (£638m) of its shares. | |
| American Airlines said it would respond "in due course". | American Airlines said it would respond "in due course". |
| Shares in American Airlines, which is the biggest airline in the world, initially rose 5% but fell back to a 1.2% rise by afternoon trading. | |
| Qatar Airways said it sees American as a good investment opportunity and would not involve itself in management, operations or governance. | |
| "Qatar Airways believes in American Airlines' fundamentals," the firm said. | |
| In 2015, Qatar Airways took a 10% stake in International Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways and Iberia. | In 2015, Qatar Airways took a 10% stake in International Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways and Iberia. |
| Then in July 2015 it increased its stake to 20%, becoming IAG's biggest shareholder. | Then in July 2015 it increased its stake to 20%, becoming IAG's biggest shareholder. |
| But the airline has encountered turbulence. | |
| Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Yemen and the Maldives cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. | Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Yemen and the Maldives cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. |
| Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt all said they would stop flights in and out of Qatar, and close their airspace to the country's flag carrier, Qatar Airways. | Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt all said they would stop flights in and out of Qatar, and close their airspace to the country's flag carrier, Qatar Airways. |
| US companies, including American Airlines, have also pressured the White House to take action against Qatar Airways and other Gulf airlines, which they say receive unfair government subsidies. | |
| Seth Kaplan, managing partner at Airline Weekly, said Qatar Airways may be hoping an investment would help reduce those objections. | |
| The firm may also be looking to strengthen Qatar's relationship with the US, which has appeared uncertain amid the diplomatic dispute in the Gulf, he said. | |
| "It's almost certainly not just a financial investment," he said. | |
| American Airlines and Qatar Airways are already partners through the Oneworld alliance. This investment could tighten that relationship, but it is unlikely to have a large effect on consumers, Mr Kaplan said. | |
| It is not clear at this point how American Airlines will respond, Mr Kaplan said. | |
| In its statement, Qatar Airways said it would not acquire more than 4.75% of shares without permission from the American Airlines board. |