British Airways wants to buy 20% of the loss-ridden Greek carrier Olympic Airways.

BBC: BA opts for Olympic

This week the commission nodded through yet another subsidy, to Greece's Olympic Airways.

ECONOMIST: No harm done

The European Commission has launched an investigation into whether the Greek government violated EU fair competition rules by helping Olympic Airways, the country's struggling flag-carrier.

BBC: EU probes aid to Olympic Airways

Last year Mr Manos was kicked out of New Democracy, the centre-right opposition party, for refusing to oppose reforms at Olympic Airways, Greece's struggling state airline, and other loss-making state enterprises.

ECONOMIST: Greece

The European Union's transport commissioner, Loyola de Palacio, is determined not to cave in and restart the endless round of handouts that were poured into companies such as Air France, Iberia and Olympic Airways in the 1990s.

ECONOMIST: Subsidies for European airlines