Open Skies
This is a new thread, intended to collate together all information, views, thoughts etc. relating to the EU/US Open Skies issue and related subjects.
Just for information, the current situation appears to be:
- The EU is currently awaiting further info from the US, in relation to the foreign ownership of US carriers; the Open Skies issue has come down to two key points, this and access to LHR;
- US carriers, particularly Continental, are of the view that theoretical access to LHR is not good enough, if they end up having to pay $30m (or so) per slot.
- Despite the delays (it had been hoped that the US proposals might be available in time to seal a deal at the EU ministers' meeting on 14th October), the EU maintains that it is optimistic that a deal can be done by the end of the year,.
- The EU has refused Ireland permission to proceed with its "mini-bilateral" with the US, on the basis that it would like to wait until all countries have Open Skies together; the US also indicated that it would not like the Irish deal to go ahead until full O/S was in place. However, the Irish agreement provides for a transitional phase, whereby O/S would have come about in 2008 (according to the original schedule), but there would be a reduction in the ratio of DUB:SNN flights to 3:1 for Summer 2007.
- Canada has indicated that it would like to increase the number of O/S agreements in place and is likely to enter into negotiations with the EU.
- One of the biggest obstacles for the EU/US deal was seen to be the mid term elections, to take place next week (7th Nov); hopefully, once these are out of the way, normal service can resume, BUT at this stage, it is expected that the Democrats will have control of at least the House, so this may affect the final deal.