=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2004/01/21/f= inancial1555EST6004.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, January 21, 2004 (AP) American Airlines gains new partner in Mexicana (01-21) 12:55 PST MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The country's second-largest airline, Mexicana de Aviacion, says it will sign a code-sharing agreement with American Airlines, removing a key regional partner from United Airlines. The deal, to be signed in April, includes code sharing for more than 500 round-trip flights each week between the United States and Mexico. It will allow American's passengers to fly to 21 new cities, including key tourist destinations Merida and Oaxaca. Mexicana controls 25 percent of the commercial airline traffic between Mexico and the United States and includes 17 U.S. cities among its 59 destinations. The partnership comes two months after the Mexican carrier terminated its code-sharing contract with United. "We analyzed the market positioning of both airlines," Mexicana's commercial vice president Sergio Allad said in an interview. "This agreement benefits Mexicana clients because American Airlines operates a more extensive network in the U.S." In a joint press release Wednesday, the companies said the agreement also includes a reciprocal frequent-flyer arrangement between American's "AAdvantage" and Mexicana's "Frecuenta" programs. Mexicana, which operates close to 60 airplanes, recently revamped its fleet with aircraft from Airbus. Despite leaving the Star Alliance global airline partnership, Mexicana maintains bilateral code sharing agreements with Lufthansa, Brazil's VARIG and Air Canada. Mexicana's main local competitor is AeroMexico. The two airlines form pa= rt of state-controlled holding company Cintra SA, which plans eventually to privatize both carriers. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004 AP