British Airways, American Set to Start Joint Venture Next Month

British Airways Plc’s joint venture with AMR Corp.’s American Airlines on flights across the Atlantic, almost 13 years in the making, will start next month, the U.K. airline’s vice president for the Americas said.

The two carriers will align their frequent-flier programs as soon as the venture starts, allowing travelers to earn and use their miles on both airlines, Simon Talling-Smith said in an interview yesterday. The companies then plan to coordinate their schedule next year before adding new destinations in the U.S. and Europe.