EU Agrees to Open up Trans-Atlantic Airline Market

By: The Associated Press

Published: March 22, 2007 in the International Herald Tribune

This article is about a deal between the EU and the United States that would make travel between the two easier. The deal, called "Open Skies" will allow airlines to fly from anywhere in the EU to any point in the U.S., shedding limitations that also discourage them from charging what they like or combining with other carriers. The deal will take effect on March 30, 2008.

This is an important deal because it allegedly will reduce the cost of tickets, making travel more affordable for all, and put an additional 25 million people on trans-Atlantic flights within five years. The EU has claimed that the deal will generate benefits of up to €12 billion (US$16 billion) in five years as ticket prices fall, airlines generate savings, and the market grows. That would create up to 80,000 jobs spread equally between Europe and the United States, it said.

This article is another example of how the globalizing world is creating stronger ties between regions, as our lives become more interconnected. It also speaks to the need for more opportunities for movement as the global market is growing and opening.