Soon you’ll be able to book American Airlines flights on JetBlue.com and JetBlue flights on AA.com.
The two airlines say they are working on these capabilities as they get ready on July 20 to begin implementing a previously announced interline agreement.
Under the collaboration, passengers will be able to connect between 14 of American’s international destinations departing from JFK in New York and Boston’s Logan Airport  and 18 of JetBlue’s domestic markets.
For example, travelers will be able to book New Orleans-New York-Rome interline service.
Passengers will be able to book these connecting services through most major online travel agency websites in North America, American Airlines ticket counters and phone lines, and through traditional travel agencies, the airlines say.
The respective carriers’ websites can’t handle the service for now, but they are working on providing the capability, the airlines say.
In addition, the two carriers announced that they intend to introduce a frequent flyer relationship later this year.
Members of AAdvantage and TrueBlue would be able to earn miles or points in the respective programs when they fly on the carriers’ interline routes.
Well, well, well – What can I say! Now, what will be interesting to see, is how they work the fares, not that that is too critical. Interlining is the first stage – but of what? LCC recognising the value of feeder traffic (which usually commands higher fare levels) or American Airlines following a remarkable piece of thinking (dare I say, thinking which I have promulgated ad nauseam) – let AA handle the long haul stuff (which they are better at) and let the LCC boys handle the short haul (which they are better at.
This is going to be really intersting and I bet that many other legacy airlines will be watching this very closely.