Al Baker at ITB

Always a high profile visitor to the annual German travel trade show ITB at Berlin, the world’s largest gathering of its type, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, was as newsworthy as ever speaking to the press last week.

Asked whether Qatar Airways would like to buy more of its oneworld partner, Akbar Al Baker said: "Yes, we would like to increase our stake in IAG at a later date.  We have just taken a shareholding: we could add value to them and they will add value to us."

"We will look at other acquisitions of airlines but we look at airlines that don't take the resources of Qatar, or attention of Qatar management, to fix issues.”  This would rule out struggling carriers and why there was no interest in Kingfisher.  Indigo, another, but successful Indian carrier could be a possibility.

Regarding access to the US and the question of government support Mr Al Baker challenged the US airlines to publish their allegations and accused them of receiving "backdoor subsidies" through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

He said Qatar Airways is no longer interested the Bombardier CSeries jets due to its delays.  www.qatarairways.com

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