Pact airlines face antitrust hurdles

Brussels: American Airlines and fellow Oneworld alliance partners British Airways and Iberia face fresh EU antitrust hurdles as they look to extend their pact to include co-ordinated schedules and prices.

The airlines had planned to deepen the pact to take advantage of the US/EU “Open Skies” deal, with a focus on routes between the US, Mexico, Canada, the EU, Norway and Switzerland, but regulators in the EU said the plan may violate antitrust rules.

The three carriers have applied for US antitrust immunity for the pact.

The European Commission, which in April launched a probe into both the Oneworld alliance and Star Alliance, made up of Air Canada, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa and United Airlines, said it had sent a charge sheet to the three Oneworld members.