On the eve of the EU Council of Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Delta urges the EU Council to approve the tentative agreement reached earlier this month between U.S. government and EU…
On the eve of the EU Council of Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Delta urges the EU Council to approve the tentative agreement reached earlier this month between U.S. government and EU negotiators to create a fully deregulated trans-Atlantic marketplace that will benefit customers.
“Delta has supported a liberalized U.S.-EU agreement from its inception because it ultimately benefits the millions of trans-Atlantic customers who travel between the United States and Europe annually,” said Jerry Grinstein, Delta’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are encouraged that a landmark deal is close to conclusion that will welcome a new era of trans-Atlantic travel allowing for a fully deregulated marketplace and opportunity for competition to grow and thrive.”
The U.S.-EU market is the leading market in terms of world air travel. In the year ending 2006, Delta, the largest U.S. carrier across the Atlantic, carried more than 5 million passengers between the United States and Europe. However, the absence of a fully liberalized bilateral agreement has limited competitive flights between the two continents, including restricting Delta from access to London’s Heathrow airport, which prevents and no flights between Atlanta, the world’s largest airline hub and Heathrow, the world’s leading international airport.
“A key focus for Delta has been to obtain meaningful access to London’s Heathrow International Airport,” Grinstein added. “We welcome an agreement that will guarantee Delta and our SkyTeam partners the ability to participate more broadly in European markets, particularly London`s Heathrow airport. Delta trusts that the EU Transport Ministers will see the benefits of this agreement for both EU countries and the United States, and we look forward to ratification of this agreement and the expeditious beginning of what we anticipate will be productive second stage talks.”
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