JAL,American Airlines file bid for US anti-trust immunity
13 Feb 2010
Washington: American Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL) moved ahead another step to cement their alliance this Friday when they asked US authorities for anti-trust immunity for flights between North America and Asia.
American Airlines and JAL, Japan's biggest airline and Asia's largest by revenue, which is now implementing a government-supervised restructuring programme, said in a statement they had asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for antitrust immunity so they could "forge a closer relationship."
Immunity from competition restrictions would allow both carriers to implement a joint business agreement (JBA) governing the operation of their flights between North America and Asia, they said.
"An immunized JBA will benefit the public, offer new competition in the fast-growing Asian
aviation marketplace and strengthen the relationship between American and Japan Airlines, which will support JAL's successful restructuring," said Gerard Arpey, American's chairman and chief executive.
This Tuesday JAL finally ended speculation about its continuation with American and its ten partners in the oneworld alliance or a possible defection to American rival Delta Air Lines, the world's largest carrier, and its fellow members in the SkyTeam alliance.
