ANA and Lufthansa German Airlines today announced that the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) issued antitrust immunity (ATI) to add Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines, both Lufthansa Group carriers, to its Japan-Europe joint venture with Lufthansa German Airlines.

Airlines will launch joint sales initiatives and pricing products from spring 2013. Customers will benefit from seamless transfers and better connections also using the attractive hubs in Vienna and Zurich. Austrian and SWISS offer the same top quality level as Lufthansa and ANA, with both modern and innovative cabin designs and very dedicated service concepts on board and on the ground.

Shinichiro Ito, ANA President and CEO, said: "I am delighted that we have secured approval from the ATI to expand our Joint Venture with Lufthansa, which effectively doubles the number of airlines involved. We look forward to working with Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines to offer customers greater convenience and improved access to European destinations whilst at the same time helping to support ANA’s international expansion.”

Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Executive Board & Chief Executive Officer Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said: "We are very pleased to get regulatory approval to extend the successful cooperation between Lufthansa German Airlines and ANA to now also include Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines, both members of the Lufthansa Group. With the new setup our joint customers will have access to the leading airline network between Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Austria."

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