FINANCIAL NEWS

Etihad ups holding in Virgin Australia to 6.1%

22 Aug 2012

(MENAFN) Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi flag carrier, has increased its shareholding in Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd to 6.1 percent, from five percent last in July, Arabian Business reported.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline paid USD10.6 million for more than 24,000 additional shares over the past three weeks, according to a filing at the Australian Securities Exchange.

Etihad is trying to keep up with larger rivals Qatar Airways and Emirates Airline, through acquisitions, in long-haul market.

The recent build up brings Etihad closer to the 10 percent limit approved by Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board.

Virgin Atlantic is a joint venture between British billionaire Richard Branson and Air New Zealand.

In December last year, Etihad paid USD95 million to increase its stake in airberlin, Europe’s sixth-largest airline, to 29.2 percent from 2.9 percent.

In January, it bought a 40 percent stake in Air Seychelles. In May, it acquired a three percent stake in Irish Aer Lingus.

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