Delta, Aeromexico accept DoT’s conditions; move to establish JV

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico have accepted antitrust conditions imposed by US regulators on the carriers’ transborder joint venture (JV), and will move forward to establish the JV. Delta and Aeromexico had threatened to “reconsider” the JV unless the US DoT dropped the conditions it was requiring for granting the JV antitrust immunity, including the divestiture of 24 slot pairs at Mexico City International and 6 slot pairs at New York JFK International. But ultimately the airlines decided there was too much to gain from the JV to drop it over regulatory conditions. “Together, Delta and Aeromexico are stronger in the US-Mexico market than either airline can be on its own,” Delta CE Ed Bastian said, adding that the JV will offer passengers “an unmatched array of options” for transborder travel. <br/>