EC investigating codeshares between Lufthansa/Turkish Airlines and TAP/Brussels Airlines
European Commission announced it is investigating codeshare agreements between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines and between TAP Portugal and Brussels Airlines on competition grounds (AP, 13-Feb-2011). The commission believes the codeshare agreements may distort competition between Germany and Turkey and between Belgium and Portugal. It is investigating codeshares on Munich-Istanbul and Frankfurt-Istanbul routes for the Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines agreement and Brussels-Lisbon for the Brussels Airlines and TAP Portugal agreement.
TAP Portugal stated it has not been informed of the EC investigation into its codeshare with Brussels Airlines, but would cooperate with any EC probe (Bloomberg, 12-Feb-2011).
European Commission: "This form of free-flow, parallel, hub-to-hub codeshare agreements may distort competition leading to higher prices and less service quality for customers on routes between Germany and Turkey and between Belgium and Portugal, respectively," Public statement. Source: AP, 13-Feb-2011.