EU commission probing Brussels Airlines & TAP

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Boeing767copilot
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Joined: 13 May 2004, 00:00

EU commission probing Brussels Airlines & TAP

Post by Boeing767copilot »

EU antitrust regulators raided Brussels Airlines and TAP Portugal last week on suspicion the carriers' code-sharing agreements may have breached EU rules, the European Commission said on Monday.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/ ... 2020111219

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-1 ... on-1-.html

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/942/Economie/a ... ines.dhtml

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tolipanebas
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Re: EU commission probing Brussels Airlines & TAP

Post by tolipanebas »

This is something which has been ongoing since early this year and the case is basically based on the rather weird opinion of the commission that it's all fine to codeshare with TP, but SN should still continue to operate all of its flights to Portugal as before and not adjust its frequency/capacity on those routes for which a codeshare agreement is signed, even if this means the combined SN/TP schedule does include flights at almost identical times...

Weird ideas, the commission has!
Their obsession with stimulating competition actually means that in this case, they'd prefer to see codeshare partners of the same alliance operate 2 half empty A319s almost side-by-side, rather than a single A321, for instance! Is it because they want to make a maximum of money from the ETS, maybe? :roll:

Seriously, once a codeshare is in place, it is only logical for all partners to try to make maximum use of it to cut their costs and if it allows them to keep a certain destination at a specific time in their timetable without actually having to fly there themselves at a loss, then what's wrong with that?

airazurxtror
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EU and the SN/TAP code-sharing

Post by airazurxtror »

http://www.lecho.be/actualite/entrepris ... ines&ckc=1

Brussels Airlines last week received a visit from representatives of the European Commission as part of the investigation into the code-sharing agreement between Brussels Airlines and TAP Air Portugal.

European authorities have announced the opening of an investigation into this agreement in February. Indeed they suspect that the collaboration between the two companies to sell tickets contravene EU rules on competition.

airazurxtror
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Re: EU commission probing Brussels Airlines & TAP

Post by airazurxtror »

In "Le Soir" today page 22 (Google translation) :


The inquest was initially designed to determine whether the sale of seats by TAP and Brussels Airlines on their respective flights constituted an infringement of EU rules, both companies being basically in competition on those routes where they both operate flights.
The guardian of European competition is concerned that the agreement between Brussels Airlines and TAP went farther than the code-sharing and the parties are suspected of having "violated EU rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices".

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sn26567
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Re: EU commission probing Brussels Airlines & TAP

Post by sn26567 »

If convicted, Brussels Airlines might have to pay a fine of up to 100,000,000 euro. Not very good for the balance sheet of next year!
André
ex Sabena #26567

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