At a joint press conference between BA?s CEO Willie Walsh and Iberia?s chairman Antonio Vazquez, the carriers announced that January 24 next year will signal the official merger of the two airlines

The press conference follows yesterday?s approval of the merger by the shareholders of both airlines (see online news November 29). On January 24 shares in the new International Airlines Group (IAG, the holding company for the merged carriers) will begin trading.

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The shareholders of British Airways have voted to approve the airlines? merger, with an official press conference due to take place in Madrid tomorrow morning.

The shareholders of both carriers held meetings to vote on the merger today, with over 99 per cent of BA votes backing the tie-up.

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Willie Walsh said that the merger of BA and Iberia under the International Airlines Group is ?the first step towards creating a multinational multi-brand airline group?

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The boss of British Airways and Iberia has ruled out bidding for his former employer, Aer Lingus, as he confirmed interest in bolting BMI and Portugal's TAP onto the International Airlines Group empire....

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The owner of British Airways and Iberia, IAG, receives approval for the takeover of BMI in return for giving up landing slots at Heathrow...

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BMI Baby, the budget airline, will be grounded from September, with some routes being stopped from next month, owner IAG says...

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Willie Walsh, the boss of International Airlines Group, has said he will not be engaging in the coalition's long-awaited consultation on the future of Britain's airports because the government "has no idea what it is talking about"....

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A substantial stake in the parent of British Airways, International Airlines Group, is up for grabs after Spain's struggling Bankia said it was planning to sell its interests in several leading businesses...

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The owner of British Airways, International Airlines Group, says the economic woes in the eurozone have hit its expansion plans...

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International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways and Iberia, has been caught in the turbulence of Spain's increasing financial headwinds...

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The parent group of British Airways and Iberia reports a 390m euro interim loss and warns of job losses...

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International Airlines Group has announced plans to cut 4,500 jobs at its Spanish airline, Iberia. IAG, which also owns British Airways and UK regional airline BMI, is facing a full-year operating loss due to rising fuel costs and losses at Iberia,...

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International Airlines Group boss faces second battle with staff in three years...

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The British carrier's profits are being almost wiped out by the performance of Iberia, which is in a 'fight for survival'...

The formation of [url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/18/iag-british-airways-iberia-willie-walsh]International Airlines Group[/url] (IAG) through the merger of BA and Iberia in 2011 was supposed to muster strength from an imperilled business model.

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