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The Spanish government has tried to encourage Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca) and Iberia (IB, Madrid Barajas) to finalise a deal and bring to a close long-running talks on the sale of the Globalia-owned airline to the flag carrier’s parent IAG International Airlines Group, sitting down for the first time with their respective chief executives Jesús Nuño de la Rosa and Javier Sánchez-Prieto, sources close to the matter informed the digital newspaper El Confidencial.

The meeting, which was led by Manuel de la Rocha, the government’s secretary-general of economic affairs, accompanied by transport secretary of state Isabel Pardo de Vera, took place on the recommendation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who had reportedly already been in contact with Iberia and Globalia owners the Hidalgo family. It was convened more than three years after the announcement of the first failed agreement.

The government representatives stressed that the transaction is considered strategic for the country, as well as for the Madrid Barajas hub, as it would serve to boost routes not...