Official announcements have announced that Delta Air Lines and US Airways have managed to reach an agreement which is aimed at clearing the way for their plan, which was publically announced last August, to exchange some takeoff and landing slots at two airports. The plans were confirmed on Monday.

According to Delta and US Airways, JetBlue Airways Corp. would be receiving access to Washington's Reagan National's operating slots from US Airways, whereas AirTran Holdings Inc., Spirit Airlines Inc. and WestJet Airlines Ltd. would be getting five slot pairs from Delta.

"I'm inclined to believe the DOT looks favorably on the restructured transaction", said Dan McKenzie, a Chicago-based analyst with Hudson Securities.

The plan is still waiting for an approval from the FAA, as has been shared by both the firms involved. Also, both Delta and US Airways shared that they submitted to the FAA some comments which challenged the legal basis for the "divestiture requirement".

Delta and US airways announced their original deal in August, but yesterday, due to the pending decision Bill Mosley, a Transportation Department spokesman refused to comment.

To file any comments about the swap of Delta and US Airways' slots for take-off and landing, yesterday was the deadline for all the airlines and the interested parties.