Not true. I could care less as long as there is reciprocity - as long as we can come over with Southwest and fly point to point in individual European countries.
The EU members assume that just because they have formed a marketing conglomeration of countries that all of the sudden they have some special rights to fly point to point in what they see as a very lucrative market. Yet when you mention the fact that the EU is similar to the North American coalition (Mexico, Canada, and the US; who are all sovereign countries) they are not interested. They only want access to the US market. Not the North American market which they can already access.
You want your cake and be able to eat it too. You want to be separate governing bodies with separate histories, cultures, and identities, yet you think you should have the same privileges (or same restrictions on others flying in your airspace) as a real country just because you have formed a loose marketing coalition.
This is NOT what the United States is. We are a sovereign country - all states are governed by one federal government. That government made treaties concerning the freedoms of the air, many many years ago. We have one currency, one system of laws, one system of tariffs and one identity. The individual states cannot restrict cross border trade, levy tariffs, or make treaties with other sovereign nations. There is a huge difference. US airlines and pilots cannot currently fly point to point in Germany or France or the UK. German, or French, or English airlines and pilots are denied the same thing in the US - they cannot fly point to point in the US.
It is simple. The US is a sovereign country. The EU is not (yet). I am sure it will be someday - but how are you going to convince the Brits to give up the royals or the Pound. It's gonna take a while.
Last edited by WhaleFR8; 12th Dec 2008 at 21:35.