FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)–Deutsche Lufthansa AG would consider shutting down loss-making British Midland Ltd., known as BMI, if its sale to International Consolidated Airlines Group SA is blocked by anti-trust authorities in Brussels, Chief Executive Christoph Franz said last week at the European Aviation Club.
“We have no other option but to sell British Midland. This deal is now on the agenda of the Competition Commissioner; it offers a job perspective for more than 3,800 employees at BMI who otherwise would lose their jobs,” Franz said, according to a transcript of his speech sent to Dow Jones Newswires.
The German airline agreed in December to sell BMI to IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, for a maximum GBP172.5 million…….
By Neetha Mahadevan, Dow Jones Newswires;
+49 69 2972 5507;
neetha.mahadevan@dowjones.com
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