WASHINGTON -- American and British Airways April 9 received the
DOT's tentative approval to code share.
Unlike previous attempts by the two airlines, this request did
not seek or receive antitrust immunity, nor did the airlines ask
for permission to code share on U.S.-London routes served by both
carriers.
Those two changes helped win DOT approval, which would allow
code sharing everywhere else.
Objections to the DOT's tentative decision must be filed by
April 16, and responses to those objections by April 21. The DOT,
however, rarely changes these tentative decisions.
In its decision, the DOT said it approved the code sharing in
part to allow American and British Airways, both Oneworld members,
to better compete against other international alliances that do
have antitrust immunity, as well as alliances among U.S.
carriers.
American said it plans to place its code on British Airways
flights beyond American's U.K. gateways to "key destinations" in
the U.K., elsewhere in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and
Asia.
American also plans to stamp its code on British Airways' New
York (Kennedy)-Manchester flights.
British Airways, in turn, will put its code on American's
flights beyond British Airways' U.S. gateway cities to points
within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America.
British Airways also plans to use its code on American's flights
between Chicago and Glasgow and Manchester.
The airlines said they plan to begin code sharing "as soon as
possible" if and after the decision is finalized.