EU changes tack in bid to strengthen hand in negotiations with Aeroflot

THE European Commission has decided to put pressure on member states in a bid to ease the headaches Russia and its monopoly airline Aeroflot are causing Europe’s airlines.

After 15 years of unfruitful negotiations, Ireland has been warned, along with the other EU countries, that they cannot continue to have a bilateral agreement with Russia and must insist that only the EU can negotiate with Moscow on their behalf.

These agreements are causing major problems for Europe’s biggest carriers that have been involved in takeovers.