Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) Chairman and CEO Leo F. Mullin today endorsed a
United States Department of Transportation (DOT) decision that would grant
antitrust immunity to an alliance between United Air Lines and British Midlands
Airways if the U.S. is able to conclude an open skies agreement with the U.K.
that meets U.S. aviation policy objectives.
"Delta continues to be a strong advocate of a U.S.-U.K. open skies
agreement, and today's order reaffirms the U.S. commitment to opening up the
restrictive U.S.-U.K. aviation market," Mullin said. "We hope this order will
provide an incentive for the British government to meet with the U.S. in the
near future to begin negotiating a liberalized bilateral agreement. That
agreement must include guarantees to ensure Delta and other carriers will have
the ability to serve London Heathrow Airport, including necessary slots and
airport facilities."
The DOT has previously acknowledged that a U.S.-U.K. open skies agreement
without meaningful access to London Heathrow for other U.S. carriers would
not meet U.S. aviation policy objectives, since slot and facility constraints
raise significant barriers to new Heathrow entry.
In prior filings, Delta has expressed interest in flying to Heathrow from
New York, Atlanta, Cincinnati and Boston. Today's DOT order also dismissed the
antitrust immunity application of American Airlines and British Airways. In
February of this year, American and British Airways filed to dismiss their joint
application with the DOT. |
