A U.S. appeals court has put a temporary halt to a Transportation Department directive forcing Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico to dismantle their nearly nine-year-old joint venture by January 1. The joint venture allows the airlines to coordinate flights between the U.S. and Mexico, controlling scheduling, pricing, and capacity.

In September, the USDOT aimed to break up the venture as part of a broader move addressing competition issues in the Mexican aviation sector. The agency argues that the venture, described as "legalized collusion," dominates nearly 60% of flights at a major international gateway, potentially leading to higher fares and reduced market competition.

Delta contends it's unfairly scrutinized compared to similar arrangements like those of United Airlines and ANA. Meanwhi

See Full Page