12th May 2015 10:04
Brussels (Alliance News) - The European Commission ended an investigation Tuesday into partnership deals between three international airlines offering flights to the US, after accepting measures they proposed to prevent competitors from being blocked out.
The EU's executive had started probing the joint venture between Air France-KLM, Alitalia and Delta in 2012, amid suspicions that their cooperation had pushed up prices on flights from Paris, Amsterdam and Rome to New York.
All three carriers are members of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
Tuesday's decision aims to ensure that passengers on these routes "continue to benefit from competitive prices and choice," said EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
In October, the carriers proposed several measures to address the EU's competition concerns. These included offering airport slots to rivals in Amsterdam, Rome and New York, as well as allowing them to offer tickets on the three companies' flights.
After consulting third parties, the commission said Tuesday that the commitments made by the airlines address its concerns. Its decision makes the measures legally binding for a 10-year period.
The commission is in charge of policing the EU's tough antitrust laws and can apply hefty fines for actions that hamper competition.
In 2010, it obliged British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia - three members of a rival global airline alliance, Oneworld - to free up slots for competitors at London's Heathrow airport.
Copyright dpa
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