WestJet, Air France and KLM have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a new commercial relationship between the three airlines. This memorandum of understanding allows the airlines to begin working on building a code-sharing agreement in late 2009 or early 2010.

Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. announced preliminary traffic results for January 2009 for both Frontier’s mainline operation as well as its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lynx Aviation. Lynx commenced revenue service in December 2007.

Like GDSs that take on marketing partners in foreign countries, Cornerstone Information Systems, which provides data services to travel management companies, entered into a marketing partnership with Brazil-based TX Consultoria.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. announced preliminary terminal passenger traffic figures for the month of January 2009 compared to traffic figures for January 2008.

The Finance Ministry opened a tender for the sale of national carrier Czech Airlines (CSA) and said it aimed to pick a winner by the end of September. The airline will be sold in a two-round tender, and a deadline for bids was set for March 23.

Thomas Cook Group plc has confirmed that it intends to acquire Lufthansa AG’s 24.9 percent stake in Thomas Cook’s German airline Condor through the exercise of the options granted in 2007. The price agreed under the options at that time, is €77.19 million which will be payable in cash at completion. The purchase will be in cash, Thomas Cook said in a statement. The tour operator, which is controlled by German retailer Arcandor AG, last year had been in talks with competitors including TUI Travel Plc’s TUIFly holiday carrier, Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s Germanwings affiliate and Air Berlin Plc to combine the airlines.