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From The Globe and Mail Aug 1 8:48 pm EDT.Aeroplan parent in talks with Oneworld airline alliance amid Air Canada’s hostile takeover bid

Aeroplan’s parent company, Aimia Inc., is in partnership talks with the Oneworld airline alliance as it fends off a hostile takeover bid from Air Canada and three financial partners.The talks, which Aimia confirmed on Wednesday, extend the company’s efforts to reposition Aeroplan once its contract with Air Canada expires in 2020.Under new leadership, the loyalty program has recently promised not to change the cost of booking flights for members once the Air Canada contract ends. It has also publicly stated members will be able to book seats on any airline come 2020.Behind the scenes, Aimia has also been negotiating a new partnership with the Oneworld alliance, whose member airlines include British Airways, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Oneworld is a direct competitor to Star Alliance, of which Air Canada is a member.“I can confirm that we are in discussions with Oneworld as a potential preferred airline partner,” an Aimia spokesperson wrote in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail.