Brussels, 10/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - Less than three months from the entry into force of the “open skies” agreement (30 March 2008), which is to liberalise air traffic between the European Union and the United States (see EUROPE 9392), European airline companies are stepping up their offers of transatlantic flights. According to the international press, British Airways (BA) unveiled its so-called “Lauren” project on Wednesday 9 January, providing for the placing into service, by end 2009, of six Boeing 757s to directly connect European capitals to the major American cities. A first aircraft will be used for flights in June 2008 from New York to the two airports Brussels and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. It is foreseen that a second aircraft will be placed in service at the end of 2008. Flights to Paris will, however, foster competition between the Franco-Dutch consortium, Air France-KLM. Air France is said to be intending to operate flights to the United States in cooperation with the American company, Delta Air Lines, from BA's preserve, Heathrow Airport.
Cited by The Wall Street Journal, BA CEO Willie Walsh said on Wednesday that the company would support further liberalisation of the transatlantic air market during the second stage of talks on the agreement between the United States and the EU, expected to begin during May this year, during Slovenian EU presidency. (A.By.)