The US Department of Transportation has given tentative approval of the carriers’ joint business to better serve customers flying between the United States and Australia and New Zealand.
Final approval of the joint business will allow for commercial integration between the two carriers, delivering new routes and significant customer benefits not possible through any other form of cooperation.
As part of the case put to the DOT, Qantas and American flagged an intention to launch several new routes within the first two years of the proposed joint business. Qantas expects to announce details of two new routes – Brisbane-Chicago and Brisbane-San Francisco – once final approval is received.