IBERIA: GREEN LIGHT FOR TRANSATLANTIC JOINT BUSINESS / Reiseinfos für Geschäftsreisende

Madrid - Following European Union approval last week, the airlines have now been granted anti-trust immunity from the US Department of Transportation.

Iberia’s executive chairman, Antonio Vazquez, said: “We’re delighted we have received approval for our joint business as it will be very positive for our employees, our shareholders and, most important of all, our customers. A new kind of collaboration between our three airlines will lead to better service levels for our customers. This means that our customers will have more destinations to choose from around the world, better scheduled travel times, better connections and more competitive fares. I am convinced consolidation is the best and only way to succeed in the airline industry, and the approval we have received today to create a joint business is a very important step towards this consolidation process.”

American Airlines chief executive, Gerard Arpey, said: “This is an important day for the customers, employees and shareholders of American Airlines and our joint business partners in the oneworld alliance. We are pleased that U.S. and EU regulators have approved our long sought alliance proposal. We wish to thank all who supported us in this effort. We look forward to delivering enhanced competition for customers on trans-Atlantic flights. By working collaboratively with our oneworld partners, we will enhance our product offerings, strengthen our route networks and better position our airlines to compete in the ever-changing global aviation marketplace.”

British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, said: “This final approval is fantastic news for all three airlines and the oneworld alliance. We’ve waited 14 years to bring the benefits of the transatlantic joint business to our customers and level the playing field with the other two global alliances. As we have argued all along, the EU-US market is highly competitive and Heathrow’s liberalisation in 2008 opened it up even further. We are delighted that the US and EU authorities have recognised this”. “We’re pleased that the DOT and EU have worked together to ensure that there is consistency in the number of slots that the three airlines have to give up for our competitors to use on services from Heathrow to the US.”

The airlines plan to launch the transatlantic joint business this autumn and will co-operate commercially on flights between the EU, Switzerland and Norway and the US, Canada and Mexico. Customers will be able to travel more easily on all three airlines’ combined route network that will serve 433 destinations in 105 countries with 5,178 daily departures, providing more frequent and convenient schedule options than any of the three carriers could offer individually. By working together, the airlines will expand customer choice by supporting routes that would not be economically viable for a single airline.

Customers will also benefit from greater access to discounted fares, expanded opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and elite tier benefits and continued reciprocal airport lounge access.

Fellow oneworld members Finnair and Royal Jordanian also received antitrust immunity from the US Department of Transportation.

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