This. There are really only three carriers TATL these days - Delta + KLM/AF/Italia + VA, AA + British Airways, and United + Lufthansa.

Pricing on most of these routes is completely detached from cost to serve.
ATL-LHR is a great example of this. The fact that there are ridiculous and aligned fare rules that result in outrageous pricing on all nonstops - despite three different operating carriers (BA, VA, DL) - shows both direct (DL + VA) and tacit (DL/VA and BA) collusion. $3500 for an economy flight booked months in advance for a short TATL is a joke.

It's very disappointing that regulators in both the EU and the US allowed these ridiculous joint ventures - especially in light of US carrier consolidation over the past fifteen years. Presumably the EU is trying to save their flag carriers, and the US just doesn't care.