French independent airlines Air Libert, and AOM have agreed on a codesharing deal which is seen as the initial phase of a merger, forming France's biggest independent carrier. The agreement, due to be signed on 24 June, will bring to an end rivalry on hotly contested domestic routes within France, such as Paris Orly-Nice and Orly-Montpelier, and prepares the way for the creation of an airline big enough to compete with Air France and its domestic arm, Air France Europe (formerly Air Inter).
Source: Flight International
