Alitalia has joined the Northwest-KLM alliance, bringing a step closer a third major global airline grouping to compete with the Star Alliance and oneworld.
The three-way grouping is expected to lead to the formation later this year of the global Wings Alliance, which could include part Northwest-owned carrier Continental Airlines.
The deal had been expected since November and awaits US Department of Transportation anti-trust approval, which could come as early as August. This will enable the three airlines to co-ordinate their transatlantic networks and improve the efficiency of their respective operations.
Its full benefits will not be realised, however, until the USA and Italy have agreed on a full open skies accord, which Italian transport minister Tiziano Treu says will be signed "within a year".
The two governments signed a new traffic agreement in November, which provided for an open-sky regime once USanti-trust immunity had been granted.
The open skies deal is crucial to the Italian Government's plans for Rome's Fiumicino Airport, which suffered badly from the transfer to Milan Malpensa of many of Alitalia's international flights.
The hope is that Air France will be attracted to the Northwest-KLM-Alitalia grouping. The French carrier, the last major European airline not involved in a potential global alliance, offers huge advantages with its new hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle, profitable operations and a new open-skies deal with the USA.
Source: Flight International
