"Unequivocal opposition" to application
The union representing pilots at American Airlines has stated its "unequivocal opposition" to the carrier's application with BA for anti-trust immunity (ATI).
The Allied Pilots Association (APA) which has 11,500 members at AA, cited EC's concerns, lack of job security, anti-competitiveness and national security issues for its opposition to the application.
The US Department of Transportation (DoT) is currently considering the application.
The two airlines plus fellow members of the oneworld alliance including Iberia, want ATI to run joint ventures on transatlantic routes.
The APA opposition comes after the EC also said it had objections to the application earlier this month.
It said it had concerns over the competitiveness on certain routes, said to include Heathrow to Miami and Dallas, if the application was granted.
Citing the EC concerns, the APA urged the DoT to reject the application.
Captain Lloyd Hill, its president, said: "Given those stated concerns, we question the advisability of granting approval to a deal that may fail to pass muster with the DOT's European counterparts."
Capt Hill claimed that AA had also "failed to provide industry standard job protections for our pilots, despite APA's concerted efforts.
"We can only conclude that our worst fears would be realised in the event American Airlines is permitted to proceed with what amounts to a virtual merger with British Airways and Iberia.
"For those reasons, we must now state our unequivocal opposition to American Airlines' application for worldwide antitrust immunity and related joint business agreement."
Capt Hill said the Association has expressed the same concerns over applications by airlines in other alliances for ATI.
These include Air France and Delta Air Lines in SkyTeam and Lufthansa, United Airlines and Continental Airlines in the Star Alliance.
In each case the DoT has approved the application.
"These alliances have cost American jobs and they have proven detrimental to consumer interests around the world," Capt Hill said.
The DoT is expected to give its ruling on the AA/ BA/Iberia application before the end of the year.
www.ba.com www.iberia.com www.aa.com www.alliedpilots.org www.dot.gov