OREANDA-NEWS. April 01, 2015. Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and Grupo Aeromexico (Mexico: AEROMEX.MX) have filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking antitrust immunity for a new joint venture on flights between the United States and Mexico.

The application marks a significant step in the creation of a \\$1.5 billion joint venture that will allow Delta and Aeromexico to compete more effectively on routes between the U.S. and Mexico. The joint venture will provide more options for travelers in both countries, while enabling joint investments by the two airlines, further improving the customer experience.

"Mexico is the most popular international destination for Delta customers, and our proposed joint venture will offer our customers more schedule and destination choices, whether traveling for business or pleasure," said Ed Bastian, Delta's President. "Approval of antitrust immunity will allow travelers to fully benefit from all the aspects of a future Delta-Aeromexico joint venture, including the combination of two complementary networks." 

"We are thrilled at this opportunity to further deepen our relationship with Delta. The potential to align our networks and scheduling means that we will be able to offer greater customer choice than we would have been able to offer individually," said Andres Conesa, CEO of Grupo Aeromexico.

The request also will be submitted for approval to the Mexican antitrust authorities, the Comision Federal de Competencia Economica (Federal Economic Competition Commission). Upon receipt of the required governmental approvals, Delta and Aeromexico will seek to expand opportunities to co-locate and invest in airport facilities by improving gates, lounges and the overall connecting experience. Additionally the airlines will increase joint sales and marketing initiatives.

Through the proposed joint venture, the airlines will offer an expanded network within Mexico and connections to U.S. business centers in Los Angeles and New York.  Aeromexico's hubs – Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Hermosillo – will give Delta customers greater access to cities throughout Mexico. Delta will provide Aeromexico with a broad North American network via Delta's key hubs, including Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Salt Lake City and Seattle, and a strong marketing presence throughout the U.S.

Delta and Aeromexico launched their first codeshare in 1994 and both became founding airlines of SkyTeam in 2000. In 2011, Delta entered into an enhanced commercial agreement with Aeromexico, and in 2012, Delta invested \\$65 million in shares of Grupo Aeromexico, the parent company of Aeromexico. Currently Delta and Aeromexico offer more than 4,000 weekly codeshare flights, representing more than 80 daily transborder round-trip flights. A year ago, Delta and Aeromexico opened a joint MRO in Queretaro. 

About Aeromexico
Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, the largest airline in Mexico, operates more than 600 daily flights from its main hub in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features more than 80 cities on three continents, including 47 destinations in Mexico, 16 in the United States, 16 in Latin America, three in Europe, two in Asia and two in Canada. The Group's fleet of more than 120 aircraft is comprised of Boeing 787, 777, 767 and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 145, 170, 175 and 190 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX B737 jet airliners and 10 B787-9 Dreamliners.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Aeromexico offers customers 1,000 destinations in 178 countries served by the 19 SkyTeam airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to 530 premium airport lounges around the world.