Spain says Iberia meets EU airline rules in case of no-deal Brexit

The Spanish government is confident national flag carrier Iberia will be able to fly across Europe in the event of a disorderly Brexit, even though the airline is majority-owned by Britain-based Anglo-Spanish group IAG. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 but has yet to seal a withdrawal agreement, posing a potential risk to airlines that don’t meet EU rules requiring European carriers to be majority-owned and operated in the bloc. “From the public works ministry’s point of view, we’re convinced that Iberia is a Spanish company,” a spokesman for the ministry said. “We are also convinced that, if necessary, the company will make the necessary adjustments to make sure it complies with European regulations,” he said. IAG, which also owns British Airways, is registered in Spain but headquartered in Britain and has shareholders from around the world. Iberia has a Spanish shareholder with just over 50% of voting rights via a complex ownership scheme. “We are confident that we will comply with the EU and the UK ownership and control rules post-Brexit,” IAG said, adding that IAG was a Spanish company.<br/>