SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
British Airways plc
(Name of Issuer)
Ordinary Shares
(Title of Class of Securities)
110419108
(CUSIP Number)
December 31, 2001
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:
[X] Rule 13d-1(b)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).
CUSIP: 110419108 Page 1 of 5
1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Capital Research and Management Company
95-1411037
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE
INSTRUCTIONS) (a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NONE
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES
NONE
BENEFICIALL
Y OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING
89,301,210
PERSON
WITH:
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
NONE
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
89,301,210 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
8.2%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
IA
CUSIP: 110419108 Page 2 of 5
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
Schedule 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Amendment No.
Item 1(a) Name of issuer:
British Airways plc
Item 1(b) Address of issuer's principal executive offices:
Waterside
P. O. Box 365
Harmondsworth , Middlesex
England UB7 0GB
Item 2(a) Name of person(s) filing:
Capital Research and Management Company
Item 2(b) Address or principal business office or, if none,
residence:
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Item 2(c) Citizenship: N/A
Item 2(d) Title of class of securities:
Ordinary Shares
Item 2(e) CUSIP No.:
110419108
Item 3 If this statement is filed pursuant to sections 240.13d-1(b)
or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filings is a:
(e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).
Item 4 Ownership
Provide the following information regarding the aggregate
number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer
identified in Item 1.
See page 2
(a) Amount beneficially owned:
(b) Percent of class:
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
CUSIP: 110419108 Page 3 of 5
registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 is deemed to be the beneficial owner of 89,301,210 shares
or 8.2% of the 1,082,741,272 shares of Ordinary Shares believed
to be outstanding as a result of acting as investment adviser
to various investment companies registered under Section 8 of
the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Item 5 Ownership of 5 percent or Less of a Class. If this statement
is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof
the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of
more than 5 percent of the class of securities, check the
following: [ ]
Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company or Control Person.: N/A
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
N/A
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group: N/A
Item 10 Certification
By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and
are held in the ordinary course of business and were not
acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect
of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose
or effect.
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Date: February 14, 2002
Signature: *Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Name/Title: Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice
President
Capital Research and Management Company
CUSIP: 110419108 Page 4 of 5
James P. Ryan
Attorney-in-fact
Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 9,
2002 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital
Research and Management Company on January 10, 2002 with
respect to HotJobs.Com, Ltd
CUSIP: 110419108 Page 5 of 5