The US Department of Transportation has tentatively approved and granted antitrust immunity for the proposed addition of Aer Lingus to the existing Oneworld alliance. The carriers request antitrust immunity to include Aer Lingus in the existing joint venture including American Airlines, British Airways, OpenSkies, Iberia, and Finnair. Aer Lingus will be integrated into the joint venture’s network planning, pricing, and sales activities. With Aer Lingus’ addition, over time the carriers are expected to expand capacity on some existing routes while introducing services on several new routes, allowing more options for travel to and from Ireland and the rest of Europe.
The Department is proposing, as a condition of approval, that the carriers continue to comply with certain slot remedies at London airports that were imposed when the Oneworld alliance was initially approved in 2010, and as have been extended by the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) while it completes its own investigation into the Oneworld alliance. The Department is also proposing that the carriers remove exclusivity clauses in their alliance agreements and to review the alliance after five years.