By Martin Banks - 21st March 2007
EU transport ministers are expected to approve the open skies aviation agreement at a meeting on Thursday.
It is understood that the UK is resigned to failure in its hard-fought efforts to secure changes to the EU-US deal, which was brokered by the European commission.
Diplomats in Brussels said UK transport minister Douglas Alexander is unlikely to receive any backing from his EU counterparts if he sought last-minute changes when the deal is put to a vote tomorrow.
The proposed deal would open the route between London’s Heathrow airport and JFK in New York – currently open to only four airlines (British Airways, Virgin, American and United) – to all EU and US carriers.
But it does not lift restrictions on foreign ownership of US airlines or allow EU carriers to operate internal flights in the US.
The UK wanted those demands to be met in a second stage agreement but it is understood that EU ministers want to implement the agreement as soon as possible.
Virgin Atlantic remains disappointed by the scope of the deal and its spokesman Paul Charles said, "It is still important to have full liberalisation if there is going to be a real landmark agreement."
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