09/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The US State Department for Transport has granted "antitrust" immunity to the alliance between United Air Lines and British Midland Airways, but sets the condition that the United States and the United Kingdom must conclude, within six months, an "open skies" agreement that meets the aims of US policy in the field of aviation, the American mission announced, in Brussels. Norman Mineta, US Transport Secretary said that if they can replace the restrictive agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom by a new open skies agreement, the alliance would give travellers new competitive possibilities for the United Kingdom and beyond. Gilles Gantelet, spokesperson for Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio recalled that the "Member States and our American partners must remember that, if the European Court of Justice pursues the Advocate General's conclusions on the open skies agreements, part of these agreements will be declared unlawful".