EU transport ministers
yesterday said they
would back one more
attempt by the
European Commission to
negotiate an open
skies agreement with
the US. Last week, the
US halted talks over
what appears to be an
unwillingness to
loosen their
restrictions on
foreign ownership of
US-based airlines.
Americans can buy up
to 49% of European
airlines, but
Europeans can buy only
a maximum of 25% of a
US carrier.
The commission is
to meet the US side in
January, and may offer
to do a deal without
seeking changes to the
ownership structure of
airlines. That would
be good news for Aer
Lingus, which takes
delivery of two new
Airbus planes in March
and wants to expand
its flight schedule to
North America.
Meanwhile the
Department of
Transport is this
morning rubbishing an
overnight report
quoting a Singaporean
official as saying
that Ireland and
Singapore have signed
an open skies
agreement between the
two countries which
would allow airlines
from both countries to
fly on to other
destinations.