Latin America: Latam and American Airlines join up for Latin American routes

American Airlines and its Latin American counterpart, Latam Airlines, will seek to close a Joint Business Agreement for the operation of routes serving Uruguay and Peru, awaiting only the approval of some regulatory authorities around the region.

The operation has already been ratified by competition authorities in Colombia, Uruguay and Peru. As for Brazil, where the Administrative Council of Economic Defense (CADE) ratified the bulk of the agreement, only the ratification of the “Open Skies Agreement” with the United States remains as a formality.

“Although we already have a positive recommendation, it is a very complicated process, we are making a great effort, we also need the approval of Chile. A few months ago we made the presentation and we hope they give us the result in 2018,” said AA executive Steve Johnson.

At the moment the decision is in the hands of Chile, where Chilean authorities must establish that there is no violation to free competition. The National Economic Prosecutor’s Office (FNE) has resisted this alliance because it considers it presents risks of concentration for the passengers served by these routes.

Full Content: iProfesional

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