BA CEO says working to strengthen Iberia ties

British Airways is in talks to strengthen ties with Spain's Iberia, BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh said on Friday.

His comments come after the chairman of Iberia's biggest shareholder, Caja Madrid, said last week that BA would need to offer an attractive partnership to Iberia or risk it defecting to rivals Air France or Lufthansa.

"Our relationship with Iberia has been a positive one, and we believe there is scope to deepen and strengthen that relationship, and we continue to talk to Iberia to see if we can do that," Walsh told reporters.