Italy and the USA are to start bilateral air negotiations with a view to establishing an open skies agreement, flying in the face of the European Commission (EC) which wants to negotiate directly for a Europe-wide agreement.
A US-Italian open skies agreement was included as part of Alitalia's alliance with KLM to allow full co-operation with their US partners Northwest Airlines and now Continental Airlines.
Italian transport ministry officials are trying to find a solution which will allow Italy and the USA to negotiate at least a basic package without violating the EC veto. The EC has made it clear that it does not want any more of these agreements signed independently of its own discussions. France recently agreed a bilateral pact, phasing in open skies with the USA.
Source: Flight International
