AIRLINES

United Seeks Probe of British Air-American Alliance: UAL Corp.’s United Airlines said it asked the U.S. Transportation Department to investigate the proposed alliance of British Airways and AMR Corp.’s American Airlines. United said it hopes an investigation will spur the U.S. to put together a formal position on the deal. United and other U.S. airlines are concerned that the agreement would create a monopoly controlling the majority of the routes between the U.S. and London. United said the interests of U.S. consumers and airlines aren’t being represented in antitrust reviews of the alliance by Britain and the European Union. United Chairman Gerald Greenwald has said that United isn’t completely against the deal but that it would like to see an “open skies” agreement between the U.S. and Britain so that other U.S. carriers could compete with the alliance. Separately, Virgin Atlantic Airlines Chairman Richard Branson told the Washington Post that if there is a U.S.-Britain open-skies pact, Virgin will immediately begin low-cost air service within the U.S.