'The situation within the US domestic market reduces the impact of liberalisation on the US industry.'
I can expand on what the
CAA says:
"The strength and competitiveness of the US domestic market (which accounts for around 75% of revenues for US airlines) means that the impact of increased competition on international routes for a US carrier in terms of its overall market is likely to be far less, and that the overall effect on US airlines of new entrant competition will be "tempered."
and
"Fears that the US would be overrun by a sudden influx of cheap pilots from Europe are unlikely to materialise, partly because of natural restrictions but also because pilots that are trained to a sufficient level to enable them to operate US aircraft are a scarce resource, and there is a limited pool available from the lowerwage countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Moreover, the imbalance in market size means that the US pilot labour force will continue to dwarf that of the Central and Eastern European countries for the foreseeable future.
It is also important to recognise that non-wage costs are likely to have as much bearing on airline management decisions on location decisions as direct wage costs.
"pilots that are trained to a sufficient level to enable them to operate US aircraft"
Slightly ambiguous.
I wonder whether that means 'good enough by US standards' (with that roll of the eyes heavenwards which often accompanies comments by CAA personnel when mentioning the FAA) or, that the CAA at last acknowledges that American trained pilots can fly safely, and the FAA isn't the aviation authority of a developing third-world country and knows what it's doing.
