From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/03/business/worldbusiness/03skies.html?_r=1&ref=
business&oref=slogin

"Negotiators for the European Union and the United States reached a
preliminary agreement on Friday to all but eliminate restrictions on
trans-Atlantic air routes, a breakthrough in talks aimed at increasing the
number of flights and lowering fares.

Europe’s transport commissioner, Jacques Barrot, said the European
Commission had made “decisive progress” in talks with United States
negotiators in Brussels toward concluding a hard-fought “open skies”
agreement. Mr. Barrot said he intended to submit a draft proposal to
European transport ministers on March 22.

In Washington, the deal needs Congressional approval before the rules would
take effect on Oct. 28.

“The open-aviation area could be a centerpiece for a reinvigorated
trans-Atlantic relationship,” Mr. Barrot said.

An accord would allow European airlines to fly into the United States from
anywhere in the bloc, which has 27 member nations, instead of from just
their home countries.

At the same time, restrictions on United States airlines flying to Europe
would be loosened, effectively removing barriers that now grant only two
carriers — American Airlines and Delta Air Lines — the right to fly into
Heathrow Airport near London.

The transportation secretary, Mary Peters, who announced the deal in
Washington, said it would offer more choice and convenience to consumers.
The trans-Atlantic market represents 60 percent of global air traffic,
according to the International Air Transport Association trade group."

Oh & rather humorously:

"According to the official, the commission said the United States had
also agreed to drop rules that restrict the rights of European airlines to
buy into airlines in other non-European countries that have bilateral
aviation agreements with the United States.

If a European airline buys, for example, an African carrier, the buyer
cannot now automatically acquire the right that the African carrier may
have to fly to the United States, because Washington would view it as a
European airline.

The commission said the draft agreement would grant several other new
rights to European carriers, including the right to fly from the United
States to non-European countries and to have access to the “Fly America”
program for the transport of passengers and cargo financed by the United
States government."

The last sentence is a classic.

Adam

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