Continental Air gets nod to join Star Alliance=0ATue Apr 7, 2009 4:18pm EDT= =0A =0A =0AEmail | Print | =0AShare=0A| Reprints | Single Page=0A[-] Te= xt [+] =0A =0A1 of 1Full Size =0AMarket News =0AU.S. oil prices = slip more than $1 on API build | Video =0AEarnings could throw wrench i= n U.S. stock rally | Video =0AWall Street tumbles as earnings season ki= cks off | Video =0AMore Business & Investing News... =0AWASHINGTON (R= euters) - Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N)=0Awon the U.S. government's nod = on Tuesday for its plans to join the Star=0AAlliance, which allows airlines= to cooperate in marketing their routes=0Aand pricing to the public. =0AThe= U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said it would give=0AContinental a= ntitrust immunity for its participation in the alliance. =0AThe alliance in= cludes UAL Corp's United Airlines (UAUA.O) and Germany's Lufthansa AG (LHAG= .DE). =0AContinental also received approval for a joint venture with Air Ca= nada (ACa.TO), Lufthansa and United Airlines. =0A"Antitrust immunity allows= airlines to coordinate their services and=0Aact as a single carrier for in= ternational air services covered by the=0Aimmunity," the DOT said in a stat= ement. =0AThe DOT said the alliances would increase service in internationa= l=0Amarkets, give consumers more options and shorter trip times, and reduce= =0Afares. =0AAs a condition of the approval of the joint venture, the DOT= =0Aproposed that the carriers implement it within 18 months and give=0Aregu= lators annual reports. =0AThe public has three weeks to file objections to = the DOT's actions. =0ARepresentative James Oberstar, chairman of the Transp= ortation=0ACommittee in the House of Representatives, has co-authored a pro= vision=0Ain aviation legislation that would launch a government study of wh= ether=0Athe alliances serve the public interest, especially those with=0Aan= titrust immunity. =0AU.S. and overseas airlines have asked the Obama admini= stration to oppose this. =0AAntitrust immunity widened this decade to meet = world travel demand,=0Aallowing alliance members to operate as one flight o= n certain routes.=0ACarriers are able to share pricing and scheduling infor= mation,=0Aticketing and facilities. =0AImmunity is an easier way for carrie= rs to build networks without=0Arunning afoul of U.S. law that discourages m= ergers between domestic and=0Aoverseas airlines. =0AThe arrangements can be= lucrative and are inexpensive to carry out compared with a merger. =0A(Rep= orting by Karey Wutkowski and Tim Dobbyn) =0A =0A=A9 Thomson Reuters 2009= All rights reserved <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".