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Northwest Airlines President Doug Steenland today released the following
statement on the KLM/Air France business relationship agreement:
"We welcome today's announcement as it is consistent with KLM's long held
view that it needed to partner with a larger European airline. Today's announcement indicates that KLM will strengthen its market position in
Europe and protect the interests of its stakeholders and its hub at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.
Northwest's and KLM's trans-Atlantic joint venture, the airline industry's most
advanced alliance, will continue in place pursuant to the long term agreement
between KLM and Northwest. Northwest will continue to serve Schiphol Airport as its main European hub.
The
Northwest/KLM joint venture will operate on a 'business as usual' basis and will continue to compete, as it does now, against the Air France/Delta
alliance.
The announced creation of a European airline group by KLM and Air France
is, in our view, in the best interest of the two airlines' customers, employees
and other stakeholders and will result in no reduction of competition in the US
markets." |
