STEVE INSKEEP, host: NPR's business news starts with two big airlines close to a deal.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: This would be a kind of trans-Atlantic alliance. British Airways has been talking with American Airlines. According to British media, the chief executive of the top British airline says he expects a deal within a couple of weeks. Now this would not be a merger. The two airlines tried that before and regulators wouldn't allow it. So the two airlines are hoping instead to cooperate more closely in areas like technology and ticketing and administration, all to help cut costs.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: On Friday, British Airways announced profits had plunged 88 percent in the last quarter. A big reason, of course, is the high cost of fuel.
British Airways has been talking with American Airlines about a possible trans-Atlantic alliance. According to British media, the chief executive of the top British airline says he expects a deal within a couple of weeks. The two airlines hope to cooperate in areas like technology, ticketing and administration to help cut costs.