Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo congratulated the U.S. Government and Government of Japan negotiators that have reached concurrence on an “Open Skies” agreement between both countries. An “Open Skies” agreement sets liberal ground rules for airline service between any countries in the agreement. The agreement creates free market competition by lifting any restrictions on international route rights including the number of airlines, the types of aircrafts that fly the routes and their frequency of flights. An “Open Skies” agreement can also allow airlines to enter into code-sharing or leasing arrangements with other airlines of either country.

In particular, the “Open Skies” agreement will open up several slots at Haneda International Airport (HND) to flights to and from the United States. Guam’s visitor industry stakeholders had requested Congresswoman Bordallo’s assistance in opening Haneda to U.S. carriers, and she raised this issue in a recent meeting with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. She requested that U.S. airlines be granted access to Haneda and that this issue should be a central point of negotiations in any “Open Skies” agreement.

“I commend the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation on the Open Skies aviation agreement between the United States and Japan,” said Congresswoman Bordallo. “The new agreement will be good for consumers in the United States and Japan. In particular, opening Haneda International Airport to U.S. carriers may benefit our tourism industry on Guam.”

References:

http://www.bignews.biz/?id=829350&keys=Congresswoman-Madeleine-Bordallo-Skies

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