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Transatlantic aviation pact takes off
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Passengers flying between Europe and the United States should get more choice and cheaper tickets if all goes as officials plan under a new EU-US aviation pact that took effect yesterday. After more than four years of often tense negotiations, hopes are high that the new “open skies” agreement will usher in a new era of transatlantic travel. “This marks the start of a new era in transatlantic aviation,” said European Union (EU) Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot. “This agreement will bring more competition and cheaper flights.” The EU estimates that the accord could provide a major boost to transatlantic air traffic with more than 26 million extra passengers expected over the next five years. Meanwhile, the deal is estimated to deliver benefits worth €12 billion (Dh69.7bn) for consumers and create 80,000 new jobs in the European Union and the United States combined. The pact is supposed to meet those high ambitions by replacing with a single EU-US accord the patchwork of 21 bilateral aviation agreements that previously existed between Washington and individual European nations. Previously, six EU countries without such bilateral accords could not even have direct flights to the United States. The new agreement’s main innovation is it will allow any EU carrier to fly from anywhere in the bloc to any point in the United States, and then on to a third country, and vice versa. This was previously not possible. However, EU airlines will still not be able to operate domestic US routes, and nor will American carriers be allowed to fly between cities in the same European country. “The US-EU open skies agreement is a win for consumers because more carriers will be able to compete in more markets,” Delta executive vice-president Glen Hauenstein said. EU governments say they may suspend traffic rights for US airlines in the future if a second-stage open skies agreement allowing greater access to North America is not reached. Discussions are on the second stage. (AFP)
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