ATLANTA — A plan by American Airlines, British Airways and other carriers to work more closely in coordinating schedules and sharing revenue on transatlantic flights should win approval, the U.S. government said Saturday.
But to protect competition, the joint venture must make four pairs of takeoff and landing slots available to competitors for new service between the U.S. and London’s Heathrow Airport, the Department of Transportation said.
There has been a surge over the past few years of U.S. carriers seeking joint ventures with foreign airlines to share costs and revenue on certain flights.
The Justice Department has said that allowing the American-British Airways venture could cause fares to rise up to 15 percent on some transatlantic routes.
A final decision on the carriers’ antitrust immunity application will follow a 60-day public comment period. The Associated Press
