PARIS — Qatar Airways said on Friday that it had acquired a 9.99 percent stake in the International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia of Spain, deepening an existing commercial partnership with the group.
Qatar Airways, based in Doha, said it had no immediate plans to increase its holding, valued at roughly 1.1 billion pounds, or about $1.7 billion, but would consider taking a larger stake “over time.” The carrier is the third-largest of the three big Persian Gulf carriers after Emirates of Dubai and Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi, both in the United Arab Emirates.
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Shares in the International Airlines Group initially rose but gave up their gains and were trading down about 1 percent Friday morning.
