BA-owner IAG 'very optimistic' on transatlantic reopening

LONDON - The chief executive of British Airways parent company IAG said he was "very optimistic" about the full reopening of transatlantic routes, adding that if it is able to operate 90% of capacity by next summer it will return to profitability.

Asked about the transatlantic reopening, Luis Gallego said: "We are very optimistic and I think we are going to have 100% of the capacity that we flew in 2019 next summer."

Profitability would depend on how much capacity IAG can operate next year, he said.

"For next summer we can operate up to 90% of the capacity that we were flying in 2019 and we are pretty sure that if we can operate that amount of flights we will come back to the profitability," he told reporters on Friday.