Exclusive: EU regulators set to clear Lufthansa, United, Air Canada tie-up - source

Published February 20, 2013

| Reuters

BRUSSELS – Lufthansa , United Airlines and Air Canada are set to secure EU antitrust approval for their tie-up after agreeing to cede slots at Frankfurt and New York airports to rivals, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The three airlines made the offer following a three-year-long investigation by the European Commission into their revenue-sharing, pricing and capacity pacts as part of their Star Alliance network.

The EU antitrust authority sought feedback from rivals and third parties in December last year.

"The Commission is likely to accept the airlines' proposal with some fine tuning," said the person who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Regulatory approval means the airlines will not be found guilty of antitrust infringement and will not face fines.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by John O'Donnell)

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