IAG Group Gets Stake of Norwegian Air Shuttle, Prepares Buyout Offer

In a statement released this morning, IAG Group, the holding company that controls British Airways and Iberia, among other companies, confirmed that it took a major step towards the acquisition of Norwegian Air Shuttle. The statement indicates that the company bought an ownership position of 4.61 percent, which allows IAG to initiate discussions with Norwegian, "including the possibility of a full offer" for the Nordic carrier. IAG is considering Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA as an "attractive investment," but reaffirms that…