Aer Lingus (EI, Dublin International) is expecting to join the transatlantic joint-venture formed by British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia, and Finnair in the next 12 to 18 months, a move it was "obligated" to take following the acquisition by IAG International Airlines Group, CEO Stephen Kavanagh was quoted as saying by FlightGlobal.

The Irish carrier has already finalised the terms of its membership in the joint-venture and is now applying for relevant antitrust immunities.

Kavanagh has admitted that the membership is not voluntary, as it was forced under the terms of the 2015 acquisition of Aer Lingus by IAG. However, the Irish carrier is now looking with "some level of enthusiasm" at the move, as the agreed terms will preserve its own partnerships, most significantly with JetBlue Airways. According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Aer Lingus also code-shares with United Airlines in the United States and with Air Canada in Canada.

The Irish carrier had been previously expected to join the joint-venture as early as in 2016 but the talks have dragged on much longer, possibly due to diverging interests.

According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Aer Lingus' transatlantic network currently consists of 108 weekly departures on a total of 14 routes, including 12 out of Dublin International and two out of Shannon (to each of Boston and New York JFK). Its key services out of the Irish capital, each of them operated 14x weekly are to Boston, New York JFK, and Chicago O'Hare.