US Airways and Lufthansa reach code-share agreement WASHINGTON (Reuters) =97 US Airways and German airline Lufthansa reached a= =20 code-sharing agreement Thursday that would give the American carrier a new= =20 business foothold just weeks after emerging from bankruptcy. It was the=20 second big development from US Airways on its post-bankruptcy business=20 plans this week. On Monday, the company announced a $4.3 billion order for= =20 regional jets with Montreal-based Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer.=20 Executives from the two airlines told reporters that the proposed alliance,= =20 scheduled to start in the fall pending regulatory approval, could yield=20 both companies an estimated $50 million annually. David Siegel, US Airways= =20 president and chief executive, said the agreement will complement its=20 domestic code-share with bankrupt United Airlines and hoped it would=20 presageacceptance into the Star Alliance. Juergen Weber, Lufthansa's=20 chairman and chief executive, said he supported US Airways' application for= =20 inclusion in Star, which the German carrier leads with United. A decision=20 on that bid could come in the coming weeks, Siegel said. Regardless of what= =20 happens with the Star Alliance, Siegel said US Airways and Lufthansa=20 planned to expand transatlantic ties down the road to include antitrust=20 immunity. US Airways is the nation's seventh-largest airline and offers=20 Lufthansa passengers access to its strong East Coast network. Lufthansa has= =20 an extensive global network, offering service to nearly 90 countries. "We=20 have a very clear common vision of what we have to do in the next few=20 months," Weber said. Code-sharing allows airlines to sell tickets on each=20 others' flights and offers certain airport perks and reciprocal frequent=20 flier benefits. Weber noted the US Airways hub in Philadelphia would be attractive to many= =20 Lufthansa customers because of its proximity to the U.S. operations of=20 German companies like auto giant Daimler Chrysler AG, which has a plant in= =20 Delaware. While Weber praised the possibilities for business at the=20 Philadelphia airport, he was harshly critical of operations at Dulles=20 international airport outside Washington. Weber complained some passengers= =20 arriving from overseas had to wait up to three hours to clear customs on=20 Wednesday, calling it an unacceptable delay and "Medieval Age treatment."=20 He said it was the worst problem of its kind at any U.S. airport and he=20 planned to raise it at a meeting with senior Bush administration officials= =20 next week. "I can tell you if the authorities here at this airport don't=20 react very fast business, and this means customers, will channel through=20 other hubs," Weber said. A Dulles spokeswoman said the airport was=20 beginning to see longer lines through customs and immigration processing=20 points as the peak international travel season picks up. Those services are= =20 run by the federal government and a similar problem last year was resolved= =20 with additional staff. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.cso.gov.tt TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************