Delta and Virgin Atlantic apply for antitrust immunity

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways have applied for antitrust immunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation for a proposed joint venture on flights between North America and the United Kingdom.

Atlanta-based Delta and British carrier Virgin Atlantic want the ability to coordinate schedules, pricing, sales and other aspects of flights in the North America-U.K. markets with each other and with Delta’s other trans-Atlantic joint venture partners Air France, KLM and Alitalia.

A Delta-Virgin Atlantic joint venture would go up against the American Airlines-British Airways joint venture. Delta said American Airlines with British Airways dominate the market between the U.S. and the U.K., including the New York-London market, which Delta calls “the most important business market in the world.”