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American Airlines and British Airways have taken a step towards resolving competition concerns on transatlantic flights between London and the United States. In a recent development, the airlines have agreed to grant rival carriers access to coveted slots on several major UK-US routes. This move comes after the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) completed an investigation into the Atlantic Joint Business Agreement (AJBA), an alliance between IAG’s British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, American Airlines, and Finnair.
Juliette Enser, Executive Director of Competition Enforcement at the CMA, highlighted the potential benefits of airline alliances. She stated, "Airline alliances can deliver broader economic benefits, such as enhanced connectivity and new services. But the CMA has concerns about the AJBA’s impact on key UK-US routes." She further explained, "Accepting these commitments could address those concerns and protect passengers on the routes, including by making it easier for other airlines to compete, and bring our investigation to a close while allowing the AJBA to continue to operate."
To address CMA’s concerns, American Airlines and British Airways will make available slot pairs on three significant UK-US routes. These include slots at Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW) for up to seven nonstop weekly flights to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Miami International Airport (MIA), and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
