United cranks up the trans Pacific pressure
A report in The Australian by Aviation writer Steve Creedy, says that the giant US carrier United Airlines is urging US authorities to use the launch of Australia’s new international airline, V Australia, to pressure the Federal Government for an open-skies agreement across the Pacific.
Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey revealed that United was opposing a submission by Virgin to the US Department of Transport seeking 10 flights weekly, with United and Qantas currently the only airlines to fly directly to the continental US with the entry of V Australia breaking up the non stop duopoly.
Virgin needs approval from US and Australian authorities to fly more than four services per week and already has permission from Canberra for the additional flights, but it has yet to get US Transportation Department approval, however, and there are worries the application could become a political bargaining chip.
Brett Godfrey said United had opposed Virgin’s submission on the grounds that the US authorities should use the new airline to press the Australian Government to negotiate an open-skies agreement and United tried a similar tactic when Jetstar International applied to fly to Honolulu.”
I think they’re fairly clear in their submission that they’re not so concerned about us coming on the route,” Mr Godfrey said.
“It’s the fact that they see this as another opportunity for their government to pressure our government on open skies, at least on the trans-Pacific route.”
Mr Godfrey said Virgin had no problems with an open-skies agreement that allowed carriers on both sides of the Pacific unlimited access to each other’s markets.
Virgin’s new airline would serve the public interest, he said.
“It’s a public interest issue, which is why our Government has supported it, and I would be disappointed if the Americans didn’t also see it that way.”
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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