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Current Events
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Open Skies begins at the end of March
Beginning March 30, the first phase of Open Skies, a history-making agreement between the United States and the European Union, will go into effect. The first phase of this agreement removes many restrictions historically imposed on how U.S. and EU airlines operate.
Specifically, effective March 30 all U.S. and EU airlines may:
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Fly between any city in the European Union and any city in the United States.
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Conduct operations without restrictions on the number of routes, aircraft or flights offered between U.S. and EU destinations.
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Set pricing according to market demands.
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Establish cooperative arrangements with one another for code sharing, etc.
The impact to travelers will vary based on their company’s preferred airlines, their location, and future announcements of additional international routes by the airlines. However, many airlines have already announced additional service from U.S. destinations to Europe, especially to London Heathrow, and it is likely that international flights will soon be offered from smaller markets not traditionally served.
Negotiations for the second phase of the agreement must begin within 60 days of March 30, though additional traveler implications remain to be seen. CWT Traveler will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to its readers throughout the coming months.
Sources: Business Travel News, CNN
Virgin Atlantic tests biofuel mix
On February 24, Virgin Atlantic completed a flight from London to Amsterdam using a fuel mixture that included biofuel. Virgin, Boeing, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables will be analyzing the results of the test flight, which was conducted using a 747 jet.
The biofuel used in this mixture included oils from coconuts and nuts from the babassu tree—n ative to Brazil. This particular biofuel source may not be considered as a long-term solution, but Virgin and Boeing are also researching other biofuel sources such as algae. An important factor in the evaluation of potential biofuels is the impact of growing and harvesting the particular fuel source.
Sources: Travel Weekly, CNN
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