Emirates and Etihad merger denied

State-owned Emirates and Etihad, two of the Middle East’s top airlines, denied a Bloomberg report on Thursday which quoted unnamed sources as saying Emirates was seeking to take over smaller Etihad to create the world’s largest carrier.

“There is no truth to this rumor,” an Emirates spokeswoman told Reuters. Etihad made a similar statement.

Bloomberg previously reported that Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates is looking at taking over unprofitable neighbor Etihad.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg wrote that such a move would create the world’s biggest carrier by passenger traffic and that any deal would require the blessing of the rulers of the richest sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates.

Emirates Airline Dubai

Etihad Airways

Emirates and Etihad merger

airliner merger