BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union is launching an investigation into whether three airlines belonging to the SkyTeam alliance are breaking EU antitrust rules with regard to flights between Europe and the United States.

The airlines under investigation – Delta, Air France-KLM and Alitalia – have signed an agreement establishing a trans-Atlantic joint venture under which they coordinate schedules, capacity and pricing, and share profits and losses on trans-Atlantic flights.

"The Commission will investigate whether the partnership may harm passengers on certain EU-U.S. routes where, in the absence of the joint venture, the parties would be providing competing services," the European Commission said in a statement Friday. The Commission is the executive arm of the EU.

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