All Nippon Airways is seeking to expand a joint venture on routes from Europe by involving partner Lufthansa carriers Swiss International Airlines and Austrian Airlines.
The expanded bilateral joint venture between the Lufthansa group carriers and ANA is designed to offer passengers greater convenience and improved access to intra-Europe routes.
ANA today filed an application with the Japanese Ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism for antitrust immunity to add the two European airlines to the partnership.
ANA, Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian want to launch joint sales initiatives and joint sales and pricing from spring 2013.
“This joint venture would help support ANA’s strategy to expand its international network by 22% during 2012-13 and further builds on the ANA/United Airlines joint venture on trans-Pacific routes launched in April 2011,” a statement said.
ANA and Lufthansa have been working to deepen their partnership over the last year, offering joint services on selected routes from last October with full co-operation in the bilateral joint venture on April 1.