Post by : Badri Ariffin

In a significant legal development, a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday temporarily blocked a Trump administration directive that sought to force Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico to end their joint venture by January 1.

The joint venture, in place for nearly nine years, allows the two carriers to coordinate flight schedules, pricing, and capacity for routes between the U.S. and Mexico. The Transportation Department had ordered the reversal, arguing that competition concerns warranted the breakup.

Delta and Aeromexico challenged the move in court, arguing that dismantling the partnership would impose “substantial costs” that they could not recoup even if the legal challenge ultimately failed. According to the airlines, the operational and financial burden of undoing nearly a decade of coordinated planning would be enormous.

Industry observers note that joint ventures like this one are common in international air travel, providing airlines with the ability to streamline operations and offer more consistent service across borders. The ruling buys the carriers more time to continue their collaboration while the court reviews the broader legal arguments.

This temporary halt reflects the judiciary’s cautious approach to reversing long-standing commercial arrangements, especially when they involve complex logistical and financial ties. The final decision could have far-reaching implications for airline partnerships and international route management.

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