Airlines alliance may break antitrust rules, says EU

European Union regulators said a transatlantic alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia may break antitrust rules.

A European Commission statement said it had sent charges to the three companies, warning they may violate rules that forbid companies striking deals that shut out rivals.

It said the charges involve the three airlines’ oneworld alliance which shares flights between the European Union and the United States.

Regulators say they were also investigating plans to widen the alliance to include Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Norway and Switzerland as destinations besides the US and EU.