Full details of the proposed conditions will be published in the EC's Official Journal, giving interested parties 30 days to comment. The Commission will consider carefully any comments it receives before adopting its final decision. When a rival airline wishes to launch a new service or to expand an existing service and cannot obtain the necessary slots in accordance with the procedure laid down in the EC slot regulations, the alliance will be obliged to make available the necessary slots in London. The maximum total numbers of slots to be released under these two remedies amounts to 267. This number is based on 1996 traffic figures and will be revised in the light of 1997 traffic figures.
Slots are to be given up without compensation.
Whenever necessary, the alliance should also give up airport facilities necessary for the effective use of the slots they have given up. Other proposed conditions relate to frequent flyer programmes computerised reservation system displays relations with travel agencies and corporate customers interlining. BA and AA wish to form a worldwide alliance which will require close cooperation covering practically the full range of their activities. The Commission has cooperated closely with the UK competition authorities which have opened their own procedure under Article 88 of the EC Treaty. They can go along with the conditions that the Commission is proposing.