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Gerald J. Arpey, Chairman and CEO, American Airlines, met with Japan’s Transport Minister Seiji Maehara on December 16. Aprey told at a news conference held later on the same day that it turned out a significant and solid discussion. Although Arpey declined to reveal any details of the meeting, he is said to have maintained during the meeting with the minister that American Airline’s offer is superior to that of any other rival in terms of assisting JAL’s turnaround and also of the positive effects visible for both parties.

During the news conference, CEO Arpey mentioned that the “open skies” treaty, fundamentally, is to promote fair competition among airlines, otherwise, it will lose its primary significance, arguing that should JAL join the SkyTeam airline group, the competition among the alliances would no longer be kept well-balanced. What is important for Japan Airlines is, Arpey continued, to look at its future with a long-term view, stating that JAL should expand its company network capitalizing on American Airlines’ dominant Latin American route while maintaining its existing network.

Source: Travel Vision

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