ANA, Lufthansa get green light for joint venture
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All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Deutsche Lufthansa AG have received anti-trust immunity (ATI) from the Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure & Transport for a proposed joint venture on routes between Japan and Europe. The official green light paves the way for the two Star Alliance partners to coordinate their schedules and sales, and other areas including lounge access and frequent flyer programmes, potentially enabling passengers to benefit from smoother transfers and better connections. The two carriers aim to introduce the new joint venture within the 2011 winter timetable.
This latest agreement follows the recent launch of a similar joint venture between ANA and United-Continental on trans-Pacific routes.
Shinichiro Ito, ANA President & CEO, said; “I’m delighted that we have received official approval to operate the only joint venture on Japan-Europe routes. This agreement will further improve the level of service we offer to passengers and boost our company’s international competitiveness.”
Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Executive Board & CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said; “This approval marks a great step forward for our customers. Optimised flight schedules will better enable them in future to plan their trips between Japan and Europe. We look forward to this opportunity to consolidate our cooperation with ANA, which signifies a further milestone that will bring the two economic areas closer together. After the tragic earthquake, the go-ahead for our joint venture is a sign that Japan is looking to the future.”
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