
European Union antitrust regulators cleared on Friday the acquisition of British airline Flybe by Connect Airways, a consortium created by Virgin Atlantic, Stobart and investment adviser Cyrus.
However, the final approval of the deal, which was announced in January, is conditional on the release by Connect Airways of slots for the routes connecting the English city of Birmingham to Amsterdam and Paris, the EU executive said in a statement.
Brussels was concerned that after the merger those routes could have fallen under a near monopoly in favour of the Franco-Dutch giant Air France-KLM, which has acquired Virgin Atlantic together with Delta and the Virgin Group of Richard Branson.
To allay the EU Commission’s concerns, Connect Airways committed to the release of five daily slot pairs at Amsterdam Schiphol airport and three daily slot pairs at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
“The commitments fully address the competition concerns identified by the Commission,” the EU executive said.
Full Content: Nasdaq
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
University of Kentucky Eyes Structural Shift Amid Antitrust Pressures
Apr 24, 2025 by
CPI
Opt-Out Flops Out At WIPO Meeting on AI and IP
Apr 24, 2025 by
CPI
Belgian Watchdog Fines Pharma Giants Over Anti-Competitive Practices in Pharmacies
Apr 24, 2025 by
CPI
X Sues Minnesota Over Law Banning AI Deepfakes in Elections
Apr 24, 2025 by
CPI
Twelve States Sue Trump Over Tariff Policy, Citing Overreach of Executive Power
Apr 24, 2025 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Mergers in Digital Markets
Apr 21, 2025 by
CPI
Catching a Killer? Six “Genetic Markers” to Assess Nascent Competitor Acquisitions
Apr 21, 2025 by
John Taladay & Christine Ryu-Naya
Digital Decoded: Is There More Scope for Digital Mergers In 2025?
Apr 21, 2025 by
Colin Raftery, Michele Davis, Sarah Jensen & Martin Dickson
AI In the Mix – An Ever-Evolving Approach to Jurisdiction Over Digital Mergers in Europe
Apr 21, 2025 by
Ingrid Vandenborre & Ketevan Zukakishvili
Antitrust Enforcement Errors Due to a Failure to Understand Organizational Capabilities and Dynamic Competition
Apr 21, 2025 by
Magdalena Kuyterink & David J. Teece