Qatar Airways said to lift stake in British Airways owner to 20%

Qatar Airways will further raise its stake in IAG, adding to its holding after the shares plunged in the wake of the Brexit vote, according to people familiar with the matter. The carrier, already IAG’s largest investor, will boost its holding to about 20% from 15.7%, said the people. The increased stake could be announced in the coming days, the people said. Qatar Airways and IAG representatives declined to comment. Qatar Airways, which said earlier this month that it was considering increasing its stake in IAG, has demonstrated its global ambitions with a recent flurry of deals. Qatar Airways announced July 12 plans to buy as much as 10% of Latam Airlines Group. Two days later, Qatar Airways agreed to acquire 49% of Meridiana Fly. Still, the strategy is hemmed in by laws that restrict foreign ownership of airlines. <br/>