Years have passed, but Qatar Airways continues to long for IndiGo.
The national carrier of Qatar on Wednesday restated its long-standing desire to buy a stake in India’s largest and most profitable airline, which has rebuffed the offer right from the beginning.
Qatar Airways group chief executive of Akbar Al Baker said his airline could not invest in IndiGo’s initial public offer (IPO) owing to government regulations and lack of sufficient time for Qatar’s sovereign funds to buy IndiGo shares.
According to Al Baker, his airline did show interest in IndiGo at one time, but could not invest directly in the IPO. “We had to do it with our parent company, and our parent organization, which is our sovereign fund, and to do that, we needed more time and the time was too short for us to move on this,” Al Baker said on Wednesday on the sidelines of India Aviation 2016, an international exhibition and conference organised by the ministry of civil aviation.
“If they are interested, Qatar Airways will be very interested,” he added.
For several years, Qatar Airways was reported to be in talks with airlines in India, the world’s fastest growing aviation market. In the past, it tried to woo Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, before the Vijay Mallya-controlled carrier was grounded in 2012 owing to financial troubles.
On Wednesday, Al Baker said he was never in discussions with SpiceJet, Jet Airways or GoAir, but reiterated his interest in IndiGo “if there is an opportunity.”
17/03/16 PR Sanjay/ dealstreetasia
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The national carrier of Qatar on Wednesday restated its long-standing desire to buy a stake in India’s largest and most profitable airline, which has rebuffed the offer right from the beginning.
Qatar Airways group chief executive of Akbar Al Baker said his airline could not invest in IndiGo’s initial public offer (IPO) owing to government regulations and lack of sufficient time for Qatar’s sovereign funds to buy IndiGo shares.
According to Al Baker, his airline did show interest in IndiGo at one time, but could not invest directly in the IPO. “We had to do it with our parent company, and our parent organization, which is our sovereign fund, and to do that, we needed more time and the time was too short for us to move on this,” Al Baker said on Wednesday on the sidelines of India Aviation 2016, an international exhibition and conference organised by the ministry of civil aviation.
“If they are interested, Qatar Airways will be very interested,” he added.
For several years, Qatar Airways was reported to be in talks with airlines in India, the world’s fastest growing aviation market. In the past, it tried to woo Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, before the Vijay Mallya-controlled carrier was grounded in 2012 owing to financial troubles.
On Wednesday, Al Baker said he was never in discussions with SpiceJet, Jet Airways or GoAir, but reiterated his interest in IndiGo “if there is an opportunity.”
17/03/16 PR Sanjay/ dealstreetasia
