FACTBOX: BA, Qantas talk merger to beat industry turbulence

(Reuters) - Australia left the door open on Wednesday to a $5.9 billion merger between national airline Qantas Airways Ltd (QAN.AX) and British Airways plc (BAY.L).

The proposed merger is the latest by carriers that have been squeezed by soaring fuel prices and decreasing passenger numbers.

Here is a table showing the two companies vital statistics.

BA QANTAS

Fleet: 245 224

Destinations: 300 145

ASK:* 149 billion 127 billion

Employees: 42,377 37,000

Market cap: $2.7 billion $2.9 billion

2007/8 profit:** $1.3 billion $901 million

Passengers/yr: 33 million 38 million

Founded: 1935 1920

* Available seat kilometers (ASK) -- a standard measure of an airline's passenger carrying capacity, calculated by multiplying seats available by distance flown.

** Profit before tax for 2007/2008.

RECENT MILESTONES:

-- March 27, 2008: First BA flight departs from Heathrow's new Terminal 5.