American and LATAM to file amendment to JV application this year

American Airlines and LATAM Airlines Group expect to submit to regulators an amendment to their joint venture application before year end, reviving a process derailed In May by a Chilean court. The carriers are removing Chile from their proposed agreement's geographic reach in response to the court's ruling, which blocked the deal on anti-competitive concerns. LATAM and American "hope" to file the amendment with regulators before the end of 2019. The carriers announced in early 2016 that they signed an agreement to establish a joint venture covering flights to Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Such arrangements involve establishing a joint business, with partners sharing revenue. Several regulatory bodies already approved the proposal and the carriers were aiming to close the deal by early 2019. <br/>