Air Tahiti Nui (TN, Papeete Faa'a (PPT)) has filed with the US Department of Transport for antitrust immunity in its planned joint venture with Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) which will encompass metal neutrality (the practice in which an airline uses aircraft operated by alliance partners to serve its own routes) and revenue sharing on its Papeete Faa'a (PPT)-Los Angeles International (LAX)-Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) route. Its Los Angeles-Papeete route, however, is not covered in the proposal. Given France's historic ties with Tahiti, the joint venture is viewed as "essential" for the continued viability of Air Tahiti Nui as an international airline. In addition to maintaining its codeshare agreements with American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW)), Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)) and JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda (HND)), the Tahitian carrier is considering partnerships with other Skyteam members Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)), Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International (ATL)) and of course, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)), as a means of enhancing its competitiveness though it maintains that it has "no plans" to join Skyteam, as in its view, "the cost and burdens in joining would outweigh the benefits."

American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW)) will, beginning August 1, offer flights using new EMB-175s on routes between Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) and Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), New Orleans Louis Armstrong International (MSY) and Pittsburgh International (PIT). Then, effective August 27, ERJ-175 service from Chicago will spread to Kansas City International (MCI), Minneapolis/St. Paul Wold-Chamberlain International (MSP), Toronto Lester B. Pearson International (YYZ) and Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA) to be followed by Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Newark Liberty International (EWR), Philadelphia International (PHL), Salt Lake City International (SLC) and San Antonio International (SAT) from October 1. Flights will be operated by Republic Airlines (YX, Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)) under the American Eagle brand as part of a 12-year long capacity purchase agreement.

Virgin America (VX, San Francisco International (SFO)) could soon file a complaint with the US Department of Justice and other industry regulators over alleged anti-competitive practices at Newark Liberty International (EWR) by rival United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)). Virgin Group CEO, Richard Branson, in an interview with industry publication FlightGlobal, says the suit would stem from "United's rapid expansion at Newark following the arrival of Virgin America at the airport." Branson highlighted the San Francisco International (SFO) to Newark route as an example, saying United's plans to dramatically boost flights from 7 now, to 16 in June, were "incredibly anti-competitive" and designed to simply "drive Virgin out of Newark". Echoing Branson's sentiments, Virgin America chief executive David Cush believes that as the US domestic market becomes increasingly tight and competitive, Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International (ATL)), United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)) and American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW)) will, in future, likely avoid competing directly with one another and "instead focus on squashing newcomers."

OpenSkies (EC, Paris Orly (ORY)) is mulling the launch of flights to Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW), Miami International (MIA) and Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) during the course of this year. Having now joined the "Atlantic Joint Business" initiative set up by parent British Airways (BA, London Heathrow (LHR)) and fellow Oneworld members American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW)) and Iberia (IB, Madrid Barajas (MAD)), Open Skies is attempting to expand in the heavily competitive transatlantic market whose poor load factors forced the British Airways subsidiary to abandon its all-business-class model in favour of a mixed business/premium-economy/economy class cabin setup. In the long run, OpenSkies CEO Patrick Malval aims to replace the airline's three ageing B757-200s by the more fuel efficient Boeing 737 MAX or Airbus A321neo, though in the interim, the airline expects to have to make do with an undisclosed number of British Airways' B767-300s.

US Airways (US, Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)) Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker has said that no decision would have yet been made on American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW))'s branding following the merger with his airline. American has recently introduced a new logo and livery and has actively started repainting aircraft.