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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/12/ba-spain-no-deal-brexit-iag-eu
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| BA owner seeks support from Spain in case of no-deal Brexit | BA owner seeks support from Spain in case of no-deal Brexit |
| (2 months later) | |
| The British Airways owner, IAG, has been seeking Spanish government support to continue its operations in the case of a disorderly Brexit. | The British Airways owner, IAG, has been seeking Spanish government support to continue its operations in the case of a disorderly Brexit. |
| According to letters reported in the Spanish newspaper El País, Spain’s government and Brussels doubt whether IAG can remain compliant with EU airline ownership rules. | According to letters reported in the Spanish newspaper El País, Spain’s government and Brussels doubt whether IAG can remain compliant with EU airline ownership rules. |
| IAG has reportedly been in talks with Madrid since last month as it attempts to satisfy the EU over its status. | IAG has reportedly been in talks with Madrid since last month as it attempts to satisfy the EU over its status. |
| Once its UK shareholders are stripped out after 29 March, IAG could fall below the 51% threshold for EU ownership, affecting most of its airlines, while BA could potentially also need to demonstrate it is British-owned, should some international aviation agreements be stringently applied. As well as BA, the Madrid-registered IAG owns the Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and a new European low-cost venture, Level. | Once its UK shareholders are stripped out after 29 March, IAG could fall below the 51% threshold for EU ownership, affecting most of its airlines, while BA could potentially also need to demonstrate it is British-owned, should some international aviation agreements be stringently applied. As well as BA, the Madrid-registered IAG owns the Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and a new European low-cost venture, Level. |
| The airlines may need to prove that they are controlled within the EU. IAG’s operational HQ is in Britain, near Heathrow airport. A spokesperson said IAG had no plans to move its management. | The airlines may need to prove that they are controlled within the EU. IAG’s operational HQ is in Britain, near Heathrow airport. A spokesperson said IAG had no plans to move its management. |
| The IAG chief executive, Willie Walsh, has long scorned predictions that the group would be in trouble, arguing that the way IAG had been established since the original 2011 BA-Iberia merger took account of complex international aviation agreements beyond the EU. He said reports earlier this year that a no-deal Brexit could jeopardise BA’s transatlantic traffic, as EU-US bilateral deals fell apart, were “nonsense”. | The IAG chief executive, Willie Walsh, has long scorned predictions that the group would be in trouble, arguing that the way IAG had been established since the original 2011 BA-Iberia merger took account of complex international aviation agreements beyond the EU. He said reports earlier this year that a no-deal Brexit could jeopardise BA’s transatlantic traffic, as EU-US bilateral deals fell apart, were “nonsense”. |
| The group told investors it was confident it would continue to comply with relevant ownership and control regulations in the UK post-Brexit, but was having extensive engagement with relevant regulators to ensure its interests were protected. | The group told investors it was confident it would continue to comply with relevant ownership and control regulations in the UK post-Brexit, but was having extensive engagement with relevant regulators to ensure its interests were protected. |
| However, competitors, most vocally Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, have claimed that IAGcould not survive Brexit in its current form. EasyJet has relocated many aircraft into the EU and set up easyJet Europe as a separate airline. | However, competitors, most vocally Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, have claimed that IAGcould not survive Brexit in its current form. EasyJet has relocated many aircraft into the EU and set up easyJet Europe as a separate airline. |
| IAG said: “We remain confident that a comprehensive air transport agreement between the EU and the UK will be reached. It’s in the UK and the EU’s interests to have a fully liberalised aviation agreement. Aviation liberalisation has been a great success story across Europe, benefiting 1bn customers each year and creating a huge number of jobs across the continent. | IAG said: “We remain confident that a comprehensive air transport agreement between the EU and the UK will be reached. It’s in the UK and the EU’s interests to have a fully liberalised aviation agreement. Aviation liberalisation has been a great success story across Europe, benefiting 1bn customers each year and creating a huge number of jobs across the continent. |
| “Even if there is no Brexit deal, both the EU and the UK have said they will put an agreement in place that allows flights to continue.” | “Even if there is no Brexit deal, both the EU and the UK have said they will put an agreement in place that allows flights to continue.” |
| The UK transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said last month that the EU had yet to agree to talks to put a “bare-bones” aviation contingency deal in place to keep planes flying after 29 March next year. | The UK transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said last month that the EU had yet to agree to talks to put a “bare-bones” aviation contingency deal in place to keep planes flying after 29 March next year. |
| British Airways | British Airways |
| Airline industry | Airline industry |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| European Union | European Union |
| Spain | Spain |
| Europe | Europe |
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