Aviation deal to increase US flights

AN agreement that will revolutionise air traffic between Europe and America, cutting prices and increasing the number of flights, has been reached between the EU and the US.

As a result, the Shannon stopover that forces half of US flights to land there will be phased out by 2008. But Aer Lingus will be able to expand its service, landing at up to 18 US cities instead of six. Flights into Ireland will also increase.

Fianna Fáil MEP Sean O Neachtain called on the Government to make sure Shannon airport wins a substantial part of the air travel business that will open up between Ireland and the US.

EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said he was delighted with the agreement which the EU’s transport ministers must approve when they meet on March 22.

This is the first time the EU negotiated an aviation agreement on behalf of all the member states and it will replace a plethora of bilateral deals that have rigidly controlled what European airlines can do and where they can fly to in the US.

It will bring together the world’s two largest aviation markets and allow airlines to fly to wherever they want to and to charge what they want for tickets.

Mr Barrot said the deal could be worth up to €12 billion and create up to 80,000 new jobs.