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Copa Airlines has been added to talks for a potential joint business involving Avianca and United Airlines, strengthening a possible partnership that would be better positioned to compete with similar tie-ups emerging in Latin America. Avianca says in a stock exchange filing that it has been in discussions with United and Copa on the "possibility of establishing a 3-way joint business agreement" which would include their combined networks between the USA and Latin America. "At this point we can provide no assurances as to whether or when the parties will finalise the agreement," says Avianca. Copa and United have been long-time partners, going back to the days when Continental Airlines held a share in the Panamanian airline. In 2016, Copa and United renewed their alliance for at least 5 years. <br/>

Airline efforts to corral the menagerie of animals in airplane cabins have fizzled this summer. Delta, American, United and other carriers tightened requirements on emotional-support animals, trying to curb the dramatic increase in dogs, cats and other creatures flying uncaged with airline passengers. The airlines now require documentation from veterinarians. United says the number of in-cabin pets it carried dipped in February, compared with the same month in 2017, after the airline announced tighter rules, and was down in March when the requirements went into effect. But then the volume increased again in April, went higher in May and stayed up all summer at comparable levels to last year. United has seen a 75% increase in on-board incidents in the past year. “This has gone too far,” said a spokesman. <br/>