Japan Air Plans Venture With British Airways on Europe Routes
February 08, 2012, 7:25 PM ESTBy Neil Denslow
Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Japan Airlines Co. and British Airways applied to form a venture on Japan-Europe routes that would let them share revenue, coordinate schedules and potentially add new services.
JAL is seeking antitrust immunity for the plan from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, it said in a statement today. British Airways, a unit of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, has contacted the European Union, it said.
All Nippon Airways Co., Japan’s largest listed carrier, formed a similar pact with Deutsche Lufthansa AG last year, as airlines boost cooperation to counter rising fuel costs and to offer easier travel options for customers. JAL and BA also have separate accords with American Airlines, covering routes between their home markets and the U.S.
Tokyo-based JAL didn’t say in the statement when it expects the agreement with BA to take effect. The carriers are both members of the Oneworld grouping, which also includes American and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. Lufthansa and ANA belong to the Star Alliance.
--Editor: Vipin V. Nair
To contact the reporter on this story: Neil Denslow at ndenslow@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Neil Denslow at ndenslow@bloomberg.net.
