British Airways will be sold to investors.

The government-run carrier will be sold early next year, Transport Secretary John Moore said, and the price tag is expected to be about $1.4 billion. The selloff has been planned for about seven years but was delayed by financial and legal problems. The Conservative government already has sold $10.5 billion worth of companies, including such well-known firms as British Petroleum, British Aerospace, Britoil, British Telecom and the Jaguar car manufacturer.