Rivalry of Riches

In their long-running game of oneupmanship, Greek Shipowners Aristotle Onassis, 61, and Stavros Niarchos, 58, have vied in everything from outfitting their yachts with art treasures to transforming their private islands into playgrounds for the beautiful people. But nothing has been more spirited than the rivalry between the onetime brothers-in-law-over Olympic Airways, which Onassis set up in 1957 after outbidding Niarchos for exclusive rights to run Greece's national airline.

Olympic lost money at first, but Onassis has since built it into a flourishing carrier. Meanwhile, he has twice persuaded the Greek government to extend his original 20-year concession, first to 1986 and then to 2006. To Niarchos, that was too much. In a formal appeal, he argued that the extension beyond 1986 should have been open to fresh bidding. Last week Greece's highest tribunal rejected Niarchos' appeal. "There is no proof," said the Council of State, "that the petitioner will preserve his interest to take over the concession at that distant date." Of course, there was also no proof that he won't.

-Both wed daughters of Shipowner Stavros Livanos. Onassis' wife, Tina, divorced him in 1960 after the start of his friendship with Opera Singer Maria Callas, is now married to the Marquess of Blandford. Niarchos and Wife Eugenia were divorced in 1965, reunited --the Mexican divorce was not valid in Greece --after his brief marriage to Charlotte Ford.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.