Qatar Airways has bought a stake worth about 1.15 billion pounds ($1.7 billion) in the owner of British Airways and Iberia， aiming to forge closer links to agroup with two major European hubs and strong transatlantic networks.

　　卡塔尔航空公司已斥资11.5亿英镑（约合17亿美元）收购英国航空公司和西班牙伊比利亚航空公司的母公司部分股份，旨在加深与后者的合作关系，这家航空集团拥有两家大型欧洲航空公司和发达的跨大西亚运输网。（路透社）

　　The Gulf airline， which disclosed a 9.99 percent holding on Friday， already partners International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) in the one world alliance and has limited code-sharing deals and a freight partnership with BA.

　　位于海湾地区的卡塔尔航空公司1月30日宣布收购国际联合航空公司（IAG）9.99%的股份。这两家公司同为“寰宇一家”航空公司联盟的成员，同时与英国航空公司签有有限代码共享协议并互为货运合作伙伴关系。（路透社）

　　Qatar Airways， fully owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund， has competed withregional rivals Emirates and Etihad Airways to become major global carriers. It joined oneworld in 2013， becoming the first Gulf airline to enter into a global alliance， which allows airlines to team up via code-sharing agreements to boostthe number of flights they offer.

　　卡塔尔航空公司由卡塔尔主权基金完全控股，其区域竞争对手包括阿联酋航空公司和阿提哈德航空公司，三者同为全球大型航空公司。卡塔尔航空2013年加入“寰宇一家”，成为第一家加入全球性航空公司联盟的海湾地区航空公司。此类联盟能使成员航空公司通过代码共享协议开展合作，以增加航班供应量。（《海湾时报》）

　　The airline’s chief executive， Akbar al-Baker，said International Airlines Group “represents an excellent opportunity tofurther develop our westwards strategy.”

　　卡塔尔航空首席执行官阿克巴·艾·贝克表示，IAG代表了“进一步发展我们西进战略的绝佳机会”。（《环球邮报》）

　　The move represents something of a U-turn for Qatar Airways， as Baker has publicly criticised European carriers， saying earlier this month that they “cannot keep up” with competition from Gulf carriers.

　　此举对卡塔尔航空公司而言具有重大转折意义，贝克此前曾公开批评，面对来自海湾地区航空公司的竞争，欧洲航空公司无法保持竞争力。（《环球邮报》）

　　Willie Walsh， IAG’s chief executive， said he was delighted Qatar had become a “long-term supportive shareholder”.Mr Walsh said his company would explore what “opportunities exist to work more closely together and further IAG’s ambitions as the leading global airlinegroup”.

　　IAG首席执行官威利·威尔士表示，很高兴看到卡塔尔航空成为能长期提供支持的股东。他还表示，IAG将寻求更为密切的合作机会，并进一步拓展其作为全球领先航空集团的雄心。（英国广播公司）

　　Shares in IAG， which have risen 44 percent in the last three months， jumped to 590 pence in early trade， their highest since the group was formed four years ago.

　　IAG的股价在过去三个月里累计上涨44%。1月30日早盘交易时段，该集团股价一度上涨至每股590便士，为该集团成立四年以来的最高水平。（路透社）

　　The two groups’ route networksare largely complementary， with Qatar strong in southeast Asia， India and theMiddle East， while Iberia flies to many destinations in South America.

　　这两家航空公司的航线运输网具有很大的互补性，卡塔尔航空在东南亚、印度和中东的业务极具优势，而IAG旗下的西班牙伊比利亚航空公司则拥有多条飞往南美的航线。（英国广播公司）

　　Qatar’s national airline said it would look to strengthen commercial ties with the European company， and may consider increasing its stake over time， although it was not currently intending to exceed 9.99%.

　　卡塔尔航空公司表示，将寻求加强与IAG的商业合作关系，未来可能考虑增持股份，但目前不打算超过9.99%这一份额。（《海湾时报》）

　　Non-European shareholders of IAG including Qatar Airways are subject to an overall cap on ownership， as a result of the requirement for EU airlines to be majority owned by EU shareholders.

　　根据欧盟航空公司必须由欧盟股东控股的规定，包括卡塔尔航空在内的IAG非欧盟股东均受制于非控股份额的上限。（《海湾时报》）

　　（廖冰清 编译）