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Just as the airways are “opening up” between the US and Europe, we’re similar changes in open skies policies with Australia. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced that new Open Skies policies will basically eliminate restrictions for carriers in both countries:
“This agreement will strengthen the already close ties between the United States and Australia,” said Secretary Peters. “Today’s agreement begins a new era where American and Australian consumers, airlines and economies can enjoy the benefits of lower fares and more convenient service.” (From DOT)
Keep reading to see how these new Open Skies policies will affect you…
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With restrictions lifted, we should see more carriers in the mix and more routes available between America and Australia. New routes will most likely be based on customer demand, and both US-based and Australian airlines will do their best to get in on the action.
My hope is that added competition among airlines and expanded options for travelers in the Northern and Southern hemispheres will lead to lower airfare. We will have to wait and see which airlines can secure a hold on US – Australia flights, and whether or not we see the emergence of smaller, specialty carriers like Silverjet and eos in the UK, but if good old supply-and-demand works in our favor, we should be able to find some cheap airline tickets to Australia in the not-too-distant future.
Now, if they could just find a way to make it a shorter flight.
I wonder whether the Open Skies with Europe (or was it only with Heathrow) has brought down any prices. Summer prices seem pretty steep to me