BA is in talks with the Australian government which could lead to it taking effective control of Qantas Airways in a GBP£450million (USD$652.3m) deal, acccording to a report in today's London Sunday Times newspaper.

BA already owns 25% of Qantas but has been prevented from increasing its stake by a government ban on foreign companies owning more than 25% of Australian airlines.

But, the newspaper claimed, "lobbyists for BA" who were not identified, "have been in negotiations with John Howard, the Australian prime minister, and John Anderson, his transport minister, to lift the limit to 49%."
http://news.airwise.com/stories/2000/12/976450787.html