Air Travel, U.S. Official

U.S.-EU Pact Could Revolutionize Air Travel, U.S. Official Says- U.S. Department Of State Advanced Search/Archive Español | Français | Pycckuú | | | You Are In: USINFO Products Washfile U.S.-EU Pact Could Revolutionize Air Travel, U.S. Official Says Transportation official says changes would enhance competition in "dramatic way" By Vince Crawley Washington File Staff Writer Washington – A tentative Open Skies agreement to deregulate air travel between the United States and the European Union could revolutionize trans-Atlantic passenger service by allowing free-market competition for routes and fares, a senior U.S. official says. “A U.S.-EU aviation agreement would not only bring an entirely new level of liberalization to trans-Atlantic air services, but would facilitate the most important reinvention of international aviation we have ever seen,” Jeffrey N. Shane, under secretary for policy at the Department of Transportation (DOT) said December 8. “It can be expected to enhance the quality of competition across the Atlantic in a dramatic way,” Shane said, speaking to the Royal Aeronautical Society in Montreal. The tentative agreement, announced by negotiators November 18, would allow every EU and U.S. airline to fly between every city in the European Union and every city in the United States, according to a Department of State fact sheet. It would allow U.S. and EU airlines to determine the number of flights and their routes and fares according to market demand, as well as to enter freely into such cooperative arrangements with other airlines as code-sharing and leasing. (See related article .) Currently, air services between the United States and European Union countries are conducted under bilateral aviation agreements with each EU member state. A number of the agreements are so-called Open Skies pacts that set liberal ground rules for international aviation markets and minimize government intervention. The U.S.-EU Open Skies agreement, if approved, would replace those bilateral pacts with a single policy. Shane said media accounts seem to miss the importance of the tentative agreement. “I must tell you that many of us on the U.S. side are more than a little puzzled at how accounts of this effort to conclude the most far-reaching agreement in the entire history of international aviation have been reduced to the story of a U.S. Department of Transportation rulemaking proceeding,” he said. “The press seems to have missed the most important point: that the agreement concluded in November by the two delegations, with or without the rulemaking, has the potential to transform the trans-Atlantic aviation market in fundamental ways.” The agreement “brings U.S.-E.U. relations into conformity with the requirements of European law at long last,” Shane said. “The willingness of the United States to eliminate the traditional nationality clause that is currently in every U.S. bilateral agreement -- meaning that an EU airline’s flights to the U.S. will no longer have to begin or end in that airline’s home country -- is more an advantage for EU carriers than for U.S. carriers, and means that consumers on both sides of the Atlantic would enjoy a quality of competition that exceeds anything we have seen up to now,” he said. “Potentially even more important,” he said, “the draft agreement would open an infinity of new possibilities for the reinvention of the EU airline industry. The anachronistic bilateral impediments to otherwise sensible mergers and other combinations – even under existing Open Skies agreements -- would be swept away on day one, and the implications for a more robust and competitive global presence by EU carriers would be profound.” EU transport ministers, Shane said, will take further action on the tentative pact after the outcome of a pending DOT rulemaking that would give foreign investors in U.S. airlines more of a say in business practices. That proposed rulemaking, which is open for comments from the public until January 6, 2006, would apply only to international investors from countries that have open-skies aviation agreements with the United States and allow similar investments by U.S. citizens in their domestic airlines. (See related article .) Shane said the department will need about two months to evaluate comments after the comment period closes and issue a final rule. The full text of Shane’s speech is posted on the Department of Transportation Web site. Created:09 Dec 2005 Updated: 09 Dec 2005 Page Tools: Print this article E-mail this article USINFO delivers information about current U.S. foreign policy and about American life and culture. This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. Home | About USINFO | Site Index | Contact Us | Privacy Topics | Regions | Resource Tools | Products Sorry, you need a JavaScript capable browser to get the best from this page

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Switzerland Travel Community: Lugano Tourism Home Browse: -- ---Destination--- Adelboden Airolo Aletsch Andermatt Anzre Appenzellerland Arosa Ascona Bad Ragaz Baden Basel Belinzona Bern Berner Oberland Bettmeralp Biel Braunwald Brienz-Meiringen Brig Brissago Celerina Centovalli Charmey Chteau-d'Oex Chur Crans-Montana Davos Disentis-Sedrun Einsiendeln Emmental Engelberg Estavayer-le-Lac Flims Laax Falera Fribourg Geneva Gimmelwald Glarus Grchen Grindelwald Gruyres Gstaad Interlaken Jungfrau Region Kandersteg Klosters La Chaux-de-Fonds Lago Maggiore Lausanne Lauterbrunnen Lenzerheide-Valbella Les Diablerets Leuk Leukerbaad Leysin Liestal Locarno Ltschberg Lucerne Lugano Martigny Mendrisio Montreux Morges Mount Pilatus Mt. Rigi Murren Murten Nendaz Neuchatel Nyon Pays du Grand-St-Bernard Pontresina Rapperswil Rheinfelden Riederalp Romont Saanen Saas-Fee Sainte-Croix Samedan Samnaun San Bernardino Sntis Savognin Schaffhausen Schwyz Scuol Sierre Sils-maria Silvaplana Sion Soglio Solothurn Splgen St. Gallen St. Moritz Thun Thurgau Thusis Ticino Toggenburg Torgon Vaduz Val de Illiez Verbier Villars Visp Region Weggis Wengen Winterthur Yverdon Zermatt Zug Zurich ---Region--- Basel Bernese Oberland Central Switzerland Eastern Switzerland/Liechtenstein Fribourg Geneva Graubnden Lake Geneva (Vaud) Neuchtel / Jura / Jura Bernois Schweizer Mittelland Ticino Valais Zurich Switzerland Game Log in Email Address: Password: Remember Me Problems logging in? Not a Member? What is the Switzerland Travel Community? Join the community to discover Switzerland through firsthand travel reviews and photos, to meet other Swiss travelers, earn valuable rewards, and much more! Switzerland > Lugano Journal Name: Things to do in Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland Member Name: Tighe Flanagan (Register or Login to see this member's profile!) Type of Trip: I Live Here Date Created: 8/14/2005 Description: I'm an American college student living in the Lugano area. I have been here for 3 years and know how to get around this place fairly well, especially for the budget-conscious among us (an amazing feat given the prices in this country). Entry Category Member Recommendation Content Rating Monte San Salvitore Hiking Highly Recommended Monte Br Hiking Recommended Rope Swing into Lake Lugano Other Great Outdoors Very Highly Recommended Strolling around Laghetto Experiences N/A has photos Community Lugano Members Who Live in Lugano lalit Flores1069 Dr Paulo thommy Luganesi See All Members With Lugano Journals Sierra Linda Kaye Lysiak Tighe Flanagan Invicta73 Lugano Photos See All Most Recent Lugano Journals Lugano - Gem of Southern Switzerland Loitering in Lugano Hotel de la Paix in Lugano Things to do in Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland Lugano - The home of la dolce vita, Swiss style See All Return to Home Information about Swiss Quality Switzerland Tourism : About Us : Privacy Statement

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TELECOM '04: Hotel and Travel -- Hotel and Travel Venetian Hotel and Convention Center 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109 www.venetian.com Phone: (702) 414-1000 or toll free at (877) 283-6423 The deadline to reserve a room at The Venetian Hotel in the TELECOM 04 room block has passed. We recommend that you still check availability at The Venetian Hotel to make your reservation. For reservations at other properties, one option is Quickbook . Important Information for Confirmed Venetian Reservations: Deposit & Cancellation policy: The hotel requires a first night deposit of suite and tax charges, per suite, to guarantee accommodations. Deposits must be received no later than fourteen (14) days after the reservation is made. The refunding of deposits will only be made when individual suite reservations are cancelled at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled arrival date. Check-in time: 3:00 p.m. Check-out time: 11:00 a.m. Guaranteed reservations will be held until midnight on the reserved date. Transportation Information Airline Discounts United Airlines is the official airline for USTA TELECOM 04 conference attendees. If you or your travel agent call United's toll-free number 1-800-521-4041 to book your reservations, you will receive a 5% discount off the lowest applicable discount fare, including First Class or 10% discount off full fare unrestricted coach fares, purchased 7 days in advance. An additional 5% discount will apply when tickets are purchased at least 30 days in advance of your travel date. Discounts also apply on Shuttle by United and United Express. Call United's specialized Meeting Reservations Center at 1-800-521-4041 to obtain the best fares and schedule information. Make sure you refer to Meeting ID Number 522AG. Dedicated reservations agents are on duty 7 days a week from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM EST. Car Rental Avis car rental is offering discounts for USTA TELECOM 04 conference attendees. Detailed information can be found by visiting www.avis.com/AvisWeb/html/bridge/assoc/offer/go.html?A544100 ( case sensitive ). Please reference the following Avis Worldwide Discount Code: A544177 to receive the discount. To reserve a car, contact Avis at 1-800-331-1600 and use your Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number A544177 . Or reserve online and have your discount number automatically included in your reservation and receive an email confirmation.

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