British Airways and Iberia owner IAG may be interested in acquiring Portugal’s state-owned airline TAP if conditions are right, its CE Luis Gallego said Monday. “The TAP operation may make sense from a strategic point of view because of the Brazilian market, they are complementary... but we have to look at the other conditions under which it is privatised,” Gallego said. The Portuguese government has said it wants to sell TAP as early as July, once the company’s value is established, but intends to keep a strategic stake. At least three major global carriers - IAG, Lufthansa , Air France-KLM - have so far shown an interest. Separately, Gallego said IAG was open to selling some Madrid slots to Irish airline Ryanair as part of potential remedies to its acquisition of Air Europa. IAG has agreed to buy the remaining 80% in Spanish carrier Air Europa it did not already own for E400m. The deal still needs antitrust clearance by the European Commission. Ryanair said earlier this month it was keen to buy any Madrid slot the EU Commission would force IAG to sell.<br/>
star
EgyptAir has launched a no-fee 96-hour transit visa at Cairo International Airport. The new visa allows passengers to stay in Egypt for up to four days and explore the country before their next flight. To obtain the visa, passengers need to visit the EgyptAir Transit office at Cairo International Airport and fill out a data form. The visa is completely free of charge and can be obtained upon arrival at the airport. This move is part of a broader initiative by the government to stimulate tourism in Egypt. EgyptAir's subsidiary, Karnak, is also offering tour programs for transit passengers, giving them the opportunity to experience the culture and history of Egypt during their layover.<br/>