British Airways is owned by IAG (the United Kingdom, LSE: IAG), which acquired the brand on 21 January 2011.[1][2] British Airways was founded in 1974 in London and was independent until 2011.
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
British Airways was formed in 1974 from four state airlines and privatised in 1987. It operated Concorde until 2003, and its Heathrow slot holdings are among the most valuable assets in European aviation. The airline traces its lineage to 1919 and the world's first scheduled international service, operated by one of the predecessor companies later merged into it.
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
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British Airways and Iberia merged to form International Consolidated Airlines Group, registered in Spain and headquartered in London. Both airlines kept their names, brands and operating certificates, so passengers saw no change beyond the ownership.
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The parent company of British Airways is IAG, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Yes. British Airways originated in the United Kingdom in 1974 and its owner, IAG, is also headquartered in the United Kingdom.
IAG completed its acquisition of British Airways on 21 January 2011, after announcing the deal on 8 April 2010. The price was not disclosed.
British Airways was an independent company from its founding in 1974 in London until IAG acquired it in 2011.
Yes. As of 16 September 2026, British Airways is still owned by IAG. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
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