“Extremely disappointing sequence of events,” Qantas says.
Qantas and American Airlines have just announced a decision to withdraw their application for anti-trust immunity to the US Department of Transportation for the expansion of their long-running relationship.
The move follows the regulator’s draft decision denying the application, and a rejection of a request from the airlines for more time to respond.
“Given that approval has been in place since 2011, this is an extremely disappointing sequence of events for Qantas and American Airlines, as well as for customers, and ultimately for trade between the United States and Australia,” the carriers said.
Existing codeshare arrangements are not affected by the decision, with the airlines saying they will now separately assess their positions before deciding on next steps.
“Both carriers are committed to finding ways to work together more closely to deliver benefits to customers that neither could offer alone,” a statement said.
More details in today’s issue of Travel Daily.