Qatar Air keen on IndiGo holding, wants job cuts at Meridiana

Qatar Airways remains on the hunt for a stake in IndiGo to add to its portfolio of holdings after failing to buy shares of India’s largest airline at the time of last year’s initial public offering. “I cannot force the owners to sell a stake to me,” CE Akbar Al Baker said Wednesday. “But if they are interested, Qatar Airways will be very interested.” Qatar Airways sought to acquire a holding in IndiGo via the Qatar Investment Authority during the IPO, overcoming a bar on direct involvement from another airline, but didn’t have time to obtain necessary approvals, Al Baker said. Qatar Air has long been keen on a stake in the only Indian airline to make a profit in each of the past 7 years as it seeks more exposure to one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets. <br/>