JetBlue and El Al Israel seek US permission to expand partnership under code-sharing deal

JetBlue and El Al Israel Airlines plan to expand their partnership, allowing El Al sell seats on some JetBlue flights to and from the New York area.

The companies said Monday that they have filed a request with the U.S. Department of Transportation for so-called code-sharing and are awaiting government approval.

If approved, El Al plans to put its "LY" code on certain JetBlue-operated flights to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Liberty airport in Newark, New Jersey. El Al flies to JFK from Tel Aviv, but foreign airlines are not allowed to operate flights entirely within the U.S.

The airlines have maintained such interline agreements since 2010, which allow passengers to buy a single ticket for itineraries that include flights on both carriers.

El Al currently has up to 22 weekly nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to the New York area. JetBlue Airways Corp. serves 86 cities across the U.S., the Caribbean and Latin America.

Shares of JetBlue, which is based in New York, rose 9 cents to $10.67.