The Open Skies Treaty

The open skies treaty between the European Union and the United States has been signed. The final step in the deal will be the ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate. What does that mean to you? The treaty provides that U.S. based airlines can fly in to any European city and European airlines can fly in to any U.S. city. So if you live in a city that has not been on the international flight radar, as far as European carriers were concerned, then this may be a big advantage for you. In addition, U.S. based airlines can fly between cities in Europe. Before, carriers were only allowed to fly from a U.S. destination to a European gateway. Passengers wishing to connect had to do so on one of the airlines European based partners. Not any more. Now a flight could, for example, travel from the U.S. to London and then on to Paris. The E.U. airlines don’t get the same deal.

Should the treaty be ratified, the fun will start in the spring of 2008.