Three Airlines Cooperate on North America-Europe Flights

In a Joint Business Agreement signed today, American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia Agreement (JBA) will cooperate on flights between North America and Europe. Included in the announcement is notice of a plan to expand global cooperation as well.

The agreement is not a merger, as the three airlines continue to operate as separate legal entities, each with their own fleets, employees and brands. The agreement aims at improving travel choices, making schedules more convenient and expanding customer opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles.

Dan Garton, Executive Vice President of Marketing at American Airlines said "Today's announcement represents good news for travelers. Our customers will be able to travel more easily on a oneworld network that includes nearly 9,000 daily departures to 663 destinations in 134 countries via flight schedules that will be coordinated to deliver more conveniences and choices. As an example, here in the U.S., customers and communities will gain improved access to 207 new international destinations just by our ability to link our networks."

With an eye to making travel more affordable and more flexible, the airlines plan to expand codesharing and offer combinable fares, to improve route choices, creating new and expanded routes.

For frequent flyers, the ability to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles on transatlantic flights is added, while reciprocal lounge access with British Airways, Iberia and other oneworld members will continue.

The three airlines, plus Finnair and Royal Jordanian, are expected to apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for global antitrust immunity. That immunity would allow the alliance to compete with SkyTeam and the Star Alliance, which already enjoy broad immunity among their global air alliance members.

Garton said "Although these changes, if approved, will take some time to be implemented, we will be in touch with our customers as new information becomes available.

Over time, updated information will we added to the website at www.aa.com