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Cloudy skies: US/Europe openskies falter
01 June 2006
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US-EU OPEN SKIES DEAL; CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
A US airline has claimed that the proposed open-skies deal between the US and EU is "not worth the effort".
In a letter to the Washington Times, Jess Smisek, president of Continental Airlines, writes that "the real winners from... the agreement would be protectionist interests in the United Kingdom".
Airlines are complaining that even if the deal is brokered, US carriers will continue to be denied access to the key airport of London Heathrow. Access at Heathrow is limited by slot constraints and, says Continental, the capacity to service US carriers. Crucially, any negotiations with the EU fail to open up Heathrow fully to competition, a point that the US carriers claim is unfair.
"Giving European airlines unfettered access to the US is a fair trade for giving US airlines unfettered access to European...
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