British Airways tonight announced a £3.96bn merger with Spanish rival Iberia, creating an airline with 61.5 million passengers flying to 205 destinations worldwide.
Willie Walsh, BA chief executive and proposed boss of the new company, said the BA and Iberia brands would be retained but the combined ownership would allow both companies to thrive in the face of unprecedented financial pressure on the industry. "BA is part of what I believe will be a leading airline in a a European context, but also looking to be one of the leading airlines in a world context," he said.
The companies' boards met today to approve a memorandum of understanding that will merge both airlines under a company, TopCo, whose ownership will be split 56%-44% in BA's favour. The business will be listed and headquartered in London, with Iberia's chairman, Antonio Vazquez, heading the board. BA expects to complete the deal late next year.
The combined airline will, in terms of sheer scale, appeal to investors keen to see both carriers stave off the effects of a deep recession and increased competition from no-frills operators. BA and Iberia carry 61.5 million passengers a year between them, with 419 aircraft, revenues of around €15bn (£13.4bn) and a workforce of 60,282 people, although cost savings will be one of the main drivers of a deal and the employee count will be expected to fall.
BA shares had risen 8.25% to 216.5p amid hopes that the long-running merger talks, which have been held up by debates over valuations and BA's estimated £3bn pension deficit, were close to a successful conclusion. BA and Iberia confirmed merger talks in July last year, two months after a joint takeover bid for Iberia by BA and private equity firm TPG collapsed. Walsh confirmed tonight that BA's pension fund would be, in effect, ring-fenced with the BA operating company liable for any increased payments.
The merger discussions became strained last December when BA announced merger talks with Australia's Qantas, prompting expressions of surprise from Iberia. The Qantas talks ended before Christmas, prompting BA to concentrate on Iberia and a looser tie-up with American Airlines, which would see BA, AA and Iberia colluding over fares and scheduling.
The Spanish and British national carriers have been forced into exploring a merger by cut-throat competition from low-budget carriers on their short-haul routes and a severe recession that has pushed both airlines into heavy losses. Last week BA posted a record first-half loss of £292m, during its traditionally profitable trading period, while Iberia recorded a net €72.8m (£65m) loss in the three months to the end of June this year. Their global rivals are faring just as badly, with the International Air Transport Association predicting an industry loss of $11bn (£6.6bn) this year.
Both airlines are proposing restructuring plans as a consequence. BA faces the threat of strikes by cabin crew over new working practices including the removal of one air steward on long-haul flights and the proposal of a two-year pay freeze. Iberia has made the most radical proposal, to replace its domestic and European programme with a new and as-yet unnamed airline.