US authorities have turned down a request by six members of the SkyTeam alliance for anti-trust immunity on transatlantic routes.
But as compensation, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) did grant broad codesharing authority to the six carriers: Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM and Northwest.
In its ruling, the DOT said the carriers failed to demonstrate that immunity "would provide significant public benefits" or that the alliance's goals "could not be achieved without anti-trust immunity."
Air France/KLM said it regretted the decision to defer the decision until there is more clarity on any liberalization of the transatlantic market.
Air France, Delta, CSA and Alitalia as a group already has anti-trust immunity as do, again as a group, KLM and Northwest.
Following the merger of Air France and KLM, SkyTeam wanted joint immunity for all six.
Air France/KLM said it was now considering the DOT decision and would send its comments to the department shortly.
Business travellers "not prepared" for trips – survey
Nine out of ten business travellers leaving the UK for trips are "unprepared, unbriefed and unaware of how to act in an emergency," according to new figures.
The statistics come from Plant Wise which provides advice and courses on traveller safety and security.
Mark Hide, the company's director, said: "UK industry sends employees on more than eight million overseas business trips each year, yet 90% of those companies do little to prepare them for travel abroad.
"Many organisations think their responsibility stops at buying airline tickets and booking a hotel room when, in fact, all employers have a duty to care for their staff when they are away on business."
Planet Wise is among more than 200 exhibitors, including 46 for the first time, at the forthcoming Business Travel Show at Olympia, London on January 31 to February 2.