BILL WOULD GIVE AIRLINES LIMITED ANTITRUST IMMUNITY

BILL WOULD GIVE AIRLINES LIMITED ANTITRUST IMMUNITY    Congress is considering legislation (H.R. 1407) that would authorize the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to grant limited antitrust immunity so airlines could meet and discuss schedules in order to reduce flight delays at U.S. airports.
   Known as the “Airline Delay Reduction Act,” the bill would authorize airlines to file with the Secretary of Transportation a request for:
   * Authority to discuss with one or more other airlines or foreign airline agreements or cooperative agreements limiting flights at an airport during a time period when scheduled air transportation exceeds airport capacity.
   * Approval of such agreements or cooperative agreements with respect to limits on interstate air transportation.
   The bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to approve such requests if the discussions and resulting agreements are not adverse to the public interest, and improve air service to the public.
   The bill bars participants from discussing or agreeing on rates, fares, charges, or in-flight services.