Delta-Aeromexico partnership gets reprieve after termination order is dismissed

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico fliers can breathe a sigh of relief.A U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday in favor of the airlines's immunized joint venture. The decision allows the pact to continue after the Department of Transportation attempted to end it beginning in 2024.The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rested on the DOT's focus on just the Mexico City market in its decision to terminate the joint venture rather than a broad U.S.-Mexico market analysis that was used when it first approved the Delta-Aeromexico pact in 2016."The joint venture and its antitrust immunity remain in effect, allowing Aeromexico and Delta to continue providing enhanced connectivity, a broader network, more convenient service options and increased competition for customers traveling between Mexico and the United States," Aeromexico said in a statement.A Delta spokesperson added that the airline remains "focused on ensuring our customers, employees, and communities continue to benefit from this longstanding partnership."A joint venture allows airlines to work closely together, flying essentially as one carrier in a certain market rather than competitors. While the dept...