Information source:
http://www.arabia.com/afp/business/e...290458,00.html
Air France is holding talks with KLM about the Dutch carrier joining the SkyTeam alliance of airlines, the French carrier said.
The talks are part of a commercial alliance announced in August involving three big US carriers: Air France's SkyTeam partner Delta, Continental and Northwest, KLM's partner, an Air France spokeswoman said.
KLM's membership in SkyTeam depends however on the approval of US authorities, which are expected to make a decision by the end of the year, the spokeswoman said.
SkyTeam, created in June 2000, currently includes AeroMexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines and Korean Air.
She also denied a newspaper report saying that Air France planned to take a stake in KLM once the French government reduced its holding in the French carrier.
KLM spokesman Frank Houden also rejected the report, saying: "This is not true, we are not at all in advanced talks to sell a stake."
He added that KLM continued to hold informal, exploratory talks with Air France and British Airways aimed at strategic cooperation.
KLM has in the past come close to merging with British Airways and Alitalia of Italy.
The prices of shares in the two companies surged in morning trading on the report, before it was denied.
KLM shares soared 8.5 percent to 10.55 euros in Amsterdam and Air France shares jumped 6.13 percent to 11.78 euros.