IAG, formed by the merger of British Airways and Iberia, has lodged a claim in Britain's high court against the Spanish pilots' union over strikes it held in late 2011 and early 2012. IAG said on Friday the claim was against SEPLA, the Iberia pilots' union, and the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association in relation to the strikes that SEPLA undertook against the creation of Iberia's subsidiary Iberia Express in late 2011 and early 2012.

It added that the claim is not related to the recently announced restructuring of Iberia. "The claim is made under European law which provides that airline groups should be free to establish air services across Europe," IAG said in a statement. "IAG is seeking a declaration that its EU rights were infringed and British Airways is seeking damages because the strikes affected its business, causing it to incur financial loss."

Copyright Reuters, 2012