By KENNETH EHIGIATOR
LAGOS—Nigerian travellers now have a wider connection network, as British Airways and Iberia Airlines’ merger set off  with the inauguration of of the International Airlines Group, AIG, which talks had been in the works in the last year.

While British Airways will avail Nigerian travellers of its wide North American network in the merger, Iberia is expected to offer easy connections to Latin America where there had been no direct air link with Nigeria.

Following  the  merger,  IAG  officially  became listed on the London Stock Exchange  and  Willie Walsh was installed as Chief Executive Officer.

Both airlines  will continue to operate under their existing brand names and the new  company  will  carry  over  62  million  passengers a year to over 250 destinations.

By  combining  British  Airways’  extensive network to North America  and  Asia  with  Iberia’s  to  Latin  America, customers will have considerably   more  choice  of  destinations  and  frequencies.

The  new company’s  headquarters will be in London, with board meetings taking place in Madrid.

Said  Walsh: “IAG has a great future ahead of it. The first two airlines in the  group, British Airways and Iberia, will retain their strong brands and have  complementary  networks  that operate from two of the biggest hubs in Europe.”

The merger will lead to annual synergies of  400 million from year five  and  benefit  IAG  shareholders  and  British  Airways’  and Iberia’s customers and staff.

“British  Airways  and  Iberia  are  the first two airlines in IAG but they won’t  be  the  last. Our goal is for more airlines – but, importantly, the right  airlines – to  join  the  group.  Today is the first step towards creating a multinational multi-brand airline group.”

In addition to the merger, last year British Airways and Iberia received approval from the European Union and the US Department of Transportation to form a transatlantic joint business agreement with American Airlines, providing customers with greater access to a global network of more than 500 destinations, discounted fares and more convenient connections.

The joint business also gives greater rewards to frequent flyers who will be able to ‘earn and burn’ miles on both BA, Iberia and American flights across the Atlantic.

The joint business will enable the airlines to launch new routes that would not have been economically viable for a single airline and a new route from Heathrow to San Diego which is due to launch on 1 June.