American Airlines and British Airways' decision to re-seek anti-trust immunity raises the stakes in the battle between the global alliances over the prize of transatlantic travel. At stake for American and BA - founding partners in the Oneworld alliance - is the possibility that their alliance may soon end up the only one without anti-trust immunity in the world's most lucrative travel market.
Delta Air Lines says it plans to file for anti-trust immunity with European SkyTeam alliance partners - Air France, Alitalia and CSA Czech Airlines.
Open skies - a prerequisite to the US granting immunity - already exists with Italy and the Czech Republic. Full open skies between the USA and France will be discussed in Paris in September. A deal would leapfrog SkyTeam ahead in the immunised alliance stakes and give it the fare and schedule fixing benefits already enjoyed by Star Alliance partners United Airlines and Lufthansa, and Northwest Airlines and KLM.
By re-launching its own bid, BA and American are making clear to authorities they would expect to face no major hurdles if Delta and Air France are given a clear run. The US Department of Transportation last time rejected the immunity request, while the European Commission wanted BA to give up 267 Heathrow slots - a price BA considered too high.
Source: Flight International
