British Airways, the UK airline, is preparing to make further acquisitions in other national airlines in the near future, according to a senior adviser close to the company. A deal would come hot on the heels of BA's recent acquisition of British Regional Airlines, a small UK airline, for £78m (€123m). Sources say that Rod Eddington, who became chief executive of BA last year, is moving quickly to stamp his mark on the company.

The adviser said that BA has begun to take a keen interest in how it takes its relationship with Swissair, the Swiss national airline, forward since its parent company SAirGroup appointed a new chief executive and chairman this month.