“Willie Walsh [CEO of International Airline Group] is one the new brand of airline manager, a 21st-century aviation thinker and a risk-taker.
“Just look at the British Airways deal with Iberia, which is so profitable and effective – a new force in European aviation. He has told the Americans he is committed to multilateral open skies agreements and he appreciates the value of aviation to national economies.
“Compare IAG with Air France/KLM or Lufthansa. France is too bureaucratic, Lufthansa has lots of different kinds of plane and very high costs. If Willie Walsh can make it work with IAG, why can’t Lufthansa?
“We’re joined at the hip in terms of our philosophy, with people like Walsh, Michael O’Leary [of Ryanair], Carolyn McCall [chief executive] of easyJet. These are people who believe in change and progress in aviation. There is a reshaping of aviation coming, driven by people like this, and by us.”