TRAVEL BLOG
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Open Skies for Australia
Australia and US
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Airfares to London and L.A
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Labels: airlines, australia, europe, usa
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Its taken so flaming long! Both the US and Australian governments are as protectionist as each other!
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