AIRLINES LAUNCH GROUP TO COVER THE WORLD.Byline: Dirk Beveridge Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. American Airlines American Airlines Major U.S. airline. American was created through a merger of several smaller U.S. airlines and incorporated in 1934. It continued to buy the routes of other airlines, becoming an international carrier in the 1970s; its routes include South America, the and British Airways British Airways in full British Airways PLC International passenger airline based in London. In 1936 British Airways Ltd. was founded through the merger of three smaller airlines. teamed up Monday with three partners in the industry's second super alliance, saying they will be able to fly virtually anywhere in the world. The alliance also includes Canadian Airlines Canadian Airlines International Ltd. was, from 1987 until 2001, Canada's second largest airline after Air Canada, carrying more than 11.9 million passengers to over 160 destinations in 17 countries on five continents at its height in 1996. , Australia's Qantas and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (HKSE: 0293 ) is an airline based in Hong Kong, operating scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 104 destinations worldwide. It is the flag carrier of Hong Kong with its main base at the Hong Kong International Airport. [1]. Airways - and they hope to expand soon with partners from continental Europe Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and, at times, peninsulas. and Japan. The airlines say their venture, called ``oneworld,'' will be a tough competitor to the Star Alliance put together by United Airlines and Germany's Lufthansa. But one rival warned that passengers might end up paying too much as competition dries up on some routes. Billionaire Richard Branson, who runs Virgin Atlantic Airways, said the oneworld group will stifle competition on flights between Britain and Australia or London and Hong Kong. Virgin said it controls 16 percent of the traffic between London and Hong Kong while British Airways and Cathay Pacific have the other 84 percent. ``For oneworld, read one company, one monopoly and millions of passengers taken for a ride,'' Branson said in a statement. Canadian Airlines and Qantas already had marketing partnerships with American and British Airways - and Cathay Pacific came aboard Monday. Executives said at a news conference that they had invited the Spanish flag carrier Iberia to join up. Finnair President Antti Potila said later that his company was negotiating to get into the group. The executives also have their eyes set on a bigger prize: Japan Airlines. |
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