The European Commission this week
cleared the merger between British Airways and Iberia, keeping the deal on
track to close by year-end.
The EC said its review of the merger
centered on routes connecting the two carriers' home markets of London, in BA's
case, and Barcelona and Madrid, in Iberia's. It concluded "that the merged
entity will continue to face sufficient competition from other carriers active
on these routes, and therefore that passengers will have adequate alternatives
to fly on these routes after the merger."
Additionally, the EC examined other
nonstop or connecting routes on which the carriers compete, similarly
concluding that the merged carrier would not harm competition.
Noting
the carriers continue to expect the deal follow its intended timeline, a BA
spokesperson said, "Everything is going as planned."