Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL) are seeking to create a joint venture (JV) to provide better services and benefits to their customers.

The companies, which serve the Hawaiian market, have submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for immunity from antitrust laws.

Based on the codeshare partnership between the two carriers, the antitrust immunised JV (ATI-JV) will enable them to share costs and optimise marketing efforts on their routes.

They said that it will enable them to offer a greater number of lower fares.

“This joint venture will combine two premier brands in the highly competitive Japan-Hawaii market, and travellers from both of our countries will benefit.”

Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO Peter Ingram said: “We have long admired JAL’s excellent service, which corresponds well with the authentic Hawaiian hospitality we offer.

“This joint venture will combine two premier brands in the highly competitive Japan-Hawaii market, and travellers from both of our countries will benefit.”

Hawaiian and JAL estimate that the JV will bring an additional 162,000 to 350,000 passengers to Hawaii and contribute between $184.5m and $402.3m to the US economy annually, while generating between 1,855 to 4,049 US jobs.

The ATI-JV is also expected to enhance Hawaiian Airlines’s connectivity between Hawaii and Japan as well as to 11 other places in Asia.

Furthermore, JAL will have better access to Hawaii and will be able to start non-stop flights from Haneda and Sapporo to Honolulu.

Both the companies expect to secure the approval later this year, which will enable them to launch the JV by the second quarter of next year.