BA chief draws up ambitious airline wish list

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has drawn up a shortlist of 12 airlines he would like to buy once the merger with Iberia has been completed.

Walsh did not comment on the identity of the 12, but the list is understood to include Qantas, South African Airways, Finnair, and low cost operator AirAsia.

The move is an attempt to chart the future for International Airlines group (IAG) - the new BA and Iberia holding company - as well as coping with BA's local difficulties back home.

According to Walsh, talks about targets with his opposite number at Iberia, Antonio Vasquez, have been ongoing for "months", but stressed IAG would not make bids for all 12.

Walsh said: "In creating IAG we want to make sure it's scaleable and attractive to other airlines... and we've tried to identify structures to put in place what will make that happen."

Read a full report at the Daily Telegraph. ·