"American Airlines warned alliance partner Japan Airlines that it will face a messy fight if it switches allegiance to Delta Air Lines and forms a close partnership to coordinate flying between the U.S. and Japan..."We would object vigorously," and "It would be a very unwise course for them" said Arpey.
"Although American expects to prevail in its cause, Arpey ridiculed the notion that Delta and JAL quickly could gain antitrust approval for a venture that would control about 60 percent of the market. "It would make a farce of the whole process," he said. But American may not find federal regulators receptive to its case, sources said, especially because JAL plans to shrink by about one-third as it restructures to shed more than $8 billion in debt."
"A significantly smaller JAL, when combined with Delta and SkyTeam, will not have a market share that's much bigger than United-Continental-All Nippon Airways," another alliance that's seeking antitrust immunity, said Vaughn Cordle, chief analyst at AirlineForecasts.
Added Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter: "We are confident a Delta-JAL partnership would receive antitrust immunity, based on longstanding (U.S. Department of Transportation) policy and precedent."
