A Mirage
I think now that we are getting closer to this Oasis, it turns out to be fake:
A true mirage: Everything is upside down and Poof, disappear.
Not even the old Flag carriers of Europe and the rest of the world was subsidized a 100% like this, ever. The hub and spoke is dead, yet they steal pax from Europe and North America at a dramatic rate. Just to sell Airbus and Boeing a/c.
The Delta CEO has manned up long time ago and called the bluff. About time EU did the same.
The open skies of Europe is old as sin. I did wetlease for Proteus in France in 1997 in a LN aircraft ( Norwegian). Proteus was a AF feeder and we were going to expand the Do328 TP operation as Proteus expanded to F100. Just an example of european co-operation.
It is a fact that the low cost has made it hard for the Flagcarriers, but I have used my own money on every tqt since 1999 and the cost of a tqt before lowcost was absurd.
The problem for the old guard is: Fair and free internal competition internaly in EU AND absurdly state run and 100% subsidized ME 1950s hub and spoke style carriers.
How EU even let one ME carrier land in EU is strange, never mind killing of our long haul with this armada.
And letting them invest in EU carrier, now that is high treason.
I was wondering when Europe and North America was going to wake up.
A little bit late , but not to late.