The European Commission has concerns that transatlantic cooperation of Lufthansa, United and Air Canada may harm premium passengers on the Frankfurt-New York route because it could result in higher prices, in breach of EU antitrust rules. The Commission has therefore invited interested parties to comment on commitments proposed by the three companies to address competition concerns about their transatlantic cooperation.

The European Commission has concerns that the transatlantic cooperation of Lufthansa, United and Air Canada may harm premium passengers on the Frankfurt-New York route because it could result in higher prices, in breach of EU antitrust rules. The parties have offered to make landing and take-off slots available at Frankfurt and/or New York to facilitate the entry of competitors on this route. They are also prepared to enter into fare combinability and special prorate agreements with competitors to enable them to offer tickets on their flights and facilitate access to connecting traffic. This is not the first investigation for members of the Star Alliance. In 2009, the Commission also announced an investigation into the proposed cooperation between four Star Alliance members (Lufthansa, Continental, United and Air Canada).

If the market test confirms that the proposed commitments remedy the competition concerns, the Commission may adopt a decision under Article 9 of Regulation 1/2003, making the commitments legally binding on the parties. The European Commission has invited interested parties to comment on those commitments proposed by Lufthansa, United and Air Canada to address competition concerns about their transatlantic cooperation.

According to the Commission, the parties are also prepared to allow passengers of new entrants without an equivalent frequent flyer programme to accrue and redeem miles on the parties' frequent flyer programmes. The commitments offered by the airlines are primarily aimed at enabling competing airlines to start operating or extend existing operations on the Frankfurt-New York route by lowering barriers to entry and to expansion. In addition, the parties commit to enter into fare combinability and special prorate agreements with competitors on the Frankfurt-New York route. These agreements would enable competitors to offer tickets on the parties' flights and facilitate access to connecting traffic.