United sees deal soon on Latin American joint ventures

United Continental is eying joint ventures with three Latin American carriers in the near future, but a deal would not immunize the US airline from the “ups and downs” of the region’s volatile market, President Scott Kirby said on Tuesday. “I think we will get it done in the not so distant future, but hard to predict an exact time,” he said. “All of the turmoil in Latin America makes things complicated.” United is trying to finalize joint-venture agreements with Colombian airline Avianca Holdings, Panama’s Copa Airlines and Brazil’s Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras. Such deals would improve connectivity between the US and Latin American aviation markets and create growth opportunities, he said.<br/>