Slow progress for Open Skies

At yesterday's second stage Open Skies meeting in Geneva a Memoradum of Consultation was signed by the US and European Union.  This is a step in the right direction but it has caused some disapointment that more progress wasn't made.

The International Air Tranport Association, IATA, released a statement in which Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, stated his disapointment that "significant progress on the issue of ownership" was not achieved.

Agreements on the environmental commitments being upheld were, however, welcomed.  This means a continued effort to increase fuel efficiency by 1.5% year on year to 2020, while cutting emmisions in half by 2050, when compared with 2005 levels.

However, the overal message that more has to be done to push Open Skies forward, was underlined by Bisgani. He added "the long-term financial sutainability of the industry" is directly affected by the commercial freedoms this agreement would bring.