Qatar Airways acquires 5% holding in China Southern

Qatar Airways has bought a 5% stake in China Southern Airlines in a move that further broadens the portfolio of minority investments in airlines abroad. “Qatar Airways regards our shareholding in China Southern Airlines as an important part of our strategic investment in the largest airline in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets,” the group’s chairman Akbar Al Baker said. Qatar acquired the shareholding Dec 28. The investment is remarkable in several respects. First, it makes Qatar Airways and American Airlines common shareholders in China Southern. And second, Qatar also owns 9.99% of Cathay Pacific Airways, which operates a hub that competes with China Southern’s in nearby Guangzhou. <br/>