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International
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EU and Canada reach ‘open skies’ agreement
The European Union (EU) and Canada recently signed an “open skies” agreement, which will “ generate major benefits for consumers and airlines…and will make the EU-Canada aviation market one of the most open in the world,” according to European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Similar to the March 2008 agreement between the EU and the United States, the agreement will ease restrictions on control and ownership of airlines. The Canada/EU agreement means that airlines form the two partners will be able to fly freely between any airport in the 27-country EU and any in Canada.
According to the EC, nine million people traveled between the EU and Canada in 2007. It predicts the agreement will generate an additional 500,000 passengers in its first year, and after a few years 3.5 million annually. An increase in direct flights, more competition, and lower prices are expected.
Sources: ATW Online, Wall Street Journal
