Tell me more about this nominal independence. The biggest state owner of IAG (BA’s corporate parent) is Qatar. Lufthansa is fully privatized. France owns ~15% of Air France-KLM.

There are more connections than ownership.

For example, an airline might get preferred access to airport berths. Governments, and officials of privatised government entities serve to organise and stabilise this sort of cartel.

European airlines prefer european airplanes; its a question of EU pride

So why is Ryanair flying a pure B737 fleet?

Like Boeing isn't internationally linked to the US, or "buy American" wasn't a thing...

> The first three are from countries where Eads doing well is a political thing: Britain Germany and France own chunks of airbus and have a lot invested in it doing well. The former flag carriers are only nominally independent from the state.

OTOH, Lufthansa was the initial customer for 747-8.

So while you correctly pointed out that influence, carriers aren't quite as dependent on their host nations as you assume.