American Airlines and LATAM Airlines Group plan to apply for approval to form a joint venture, the companies said Thursday.
The companies plan to file for antitrust immunity with the U.S.
Department of Transportation and with the appropriate regulatory agencies in
South America. Pending regulatory approval, the joint venture would enable
American and LATAM to coordinate schedules on flights between the U.S. and Canada and six South American countries: Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Paraguay, Peru
and Uruguay.
The move would be a strengthening of the relationship between American
and LATAM, which launched their first codeshare agreement in 1999 when LAN Airlines was still an independent entity. LATAM’s
other major brand is Brazil’s TAM Airlines.
LATAM Airlines Group was formed after LAN's takeover of TAM in 2012.
Also Thursday, LATAM and
International Airline Group announced that they have applied for a joint venture
agreement on flights between South America and the European Union. The deal applies to the LATAM airlines, British Airways and Iberia.
American, IAG and LATAM are part
of the Oneworld alliance.
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Correction: LAN took over TAM in 2012, not vice versa.