US DOT tentatively clears Northwest Airlines, SkyTeam immunity

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday tentatively approved antitrust immunity for Northwest Airlines Corp (NWA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and its SkyTeam alliance partners, Northwest said.

The decision, if finalized, will enable Northwest, Delta Air Lines (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), Alitalia (AZPIa.MI: Quote, Profile, Research), and CSA Czech Airlines to expand their transatlantic networks by coordinating schedules and services.

Approval is crucial for Northwest's plans to boost international flying, especially new nonstop service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Paris.