British Airways Plc is considering a possible take-over bid for Irish state airline Aer Lingus, BA Chief Executive Rod Eddington was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Eddington said BA would not make a move until the Irish government clarifies its plans for the airline's future.
"But we'd certainly be an interested party," Eddington told Ireland's Sunday Independent newspaper, adding that he had asked bankers to work out how much such an acquisition might cost.
"Whether it would make sense for both parties to have an equity investment at some point, time will tell," the paper cited Eddington as saying.
"My starting point it what the Irish government want to see happen. When we know the answer to that we'll be able to reflect on whether we'd want to participate or not."
Earlier this month, senior management at Aer Lingus asked the government for permission to seek financial backing for a buy-out of their own.
A three-man team comprising Chief Executive Willie Walsh and his chief financial officer and chief operations officer said it was confident "an attractive proposal could be developed and financed" if government consent was forthcoming.
If the government gave the nod to that request, the airline would effectively be on the market, with a bidding process being open to other potential buyers.
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