NEW YORK -- Aer Lingus concluded alliance agreements with British
Airways and American Airlines that include frequent flyer program
and lounge reciprocity and code sharing.
The three carriers have been working on the agreements since
summer, when the Irish government gave the go-ahead to Aer Lingus
to pursue the pacts.
In April, British Airways will put its code on all Aer Lingus
flights between Ireland and the U.K.
Aer Lingus will put its code on British Airways flights between
London and points in Scandinavia, Switzerland, Italy and
Austria.
American Airlines will code share on Aer Lingus' transatlantic
services between the U.S. and Ireland beginning next summer; Aer
Lingus serves New York (Kennedy and Newark), Boston, Chicago and
Los Angeles.
The code-sharing aspects of the deals are subject to government
approvals. Eventually, the relationships could evolve further, with
American and British Airways each taking a 10% stake in Aer Lingus
as part of the carrier's privatization.
American and British Airways also would sponsor Aer Lingus for
membership in the oneworld alliance, which also includes Canadian
Airlines, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia and, beginning
next year, LanChile.
Aer Lingus has had previous relationships with Delta and
Continental. In both cases, the pacts came to an end when the U.S.
carriers launched new services in direct competition with Aer
Lingus.