Saudi - USA Open Skies
 

KSA and the USA have signed an Open Skies agreement therefore removing restrictions on the number of flights that can operate between these two countries.

I don't foresee too many US carriers jumping at this opportunity, but i wonder how long it will be before there is a Qatar base in Jeddah and Riyadh operating to the US? What about EK and EY?

Mutt

Why not Saudia??

Would an Open Skies agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia allow for 5th Freedom or 8th Freedom rights to non-US or non-Saudi flag carriers???

Would be interesting to read but I'd be surprised.

8th freedom is the right to fly between two airports in the same country (i.e domestic) with continuing service to/from the airlines home country. In this example only US/Saudi airlines could benefit and it is likely that it would only be grated on a reciprocal basis. Since the Americans would never do this, it is not likely the Saudis would give domestic rights to US airlines without a quid pro quo.

The US-Saudi agreement could grant 5ths for US/Saudi airlines. For 5ths for other flags that would depend on both countries granting same in their ASAs with said nation.

For example - If the UAE negotiated 5ths from both the Saudis and the Americans they could operate DUB/AUH - JED - JFK (with traffic rights).

In principle ASAs address traffic rights only for the airlines of the two countries.