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- <text id=92TT2190>
- <title>
- Oct. 05, 1992: Seeking a New World Order in the Skies
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1992
- Oct. 05, 1992 LYING:Everybody's Doin' It (Honest)
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- THE WEEK, Page 21
- BUSINESS
- Seeking a New World Order in the Skies
- </hdr><body>
- <p>Plans to internationalize the airline industry run into flak
- </p>
- <p> Not since the days of the Red Baron have the transatlantic
- skies seen such a dogfight. The global consolidation of the
- airline industry is moving into a cross-border phase, led by the
- desire of American carriers to secure overseas markets and
- foreign airlines to buy stakes in some of the weaker U.S.
- operators. These initiatives have triggered a war of words
- between European and American transportation officials. In
- reaction to British Airways' bid to acquire a 44% equity stake
- in financially troubled USAir, a trio of American airlines has
- closed ranks to oppose the deal, unless they are granted greater
- access to British markets. At the same time, the German
- parliament's Transport Committee threatened to terminate its
- 1955 air treaty with the U.S. if the Americans did not open more
- airports to German airlines. The parliamentary salvo is seen as
- a pre-emptive strike in support of Lufthansa German Airlines'
- bid for the bankrupt U.S. carrier Continental Airlines.
- </p>
- <p> The disputes are heating up as U.S. carriers prepare for
- 1993, when Europe's skies are scheduled to be deregulated as
- part of the Continent's push for a single market. While some
- European countries, like the Netherlands, support ending most
- limits on flights for U.S. carriers, others favor more
- restrictions. U.S. Transportation Secretary Andrew Card hinted
- that unless other countries open their skies to American
- carriers, foreign airlines could face limited access to U.S.
- cities. European airlines are eager to tap the American pool of
- 600 million passengers a year, which represents 40% of the world
- market. Secretary Card met last week for the first time with
- British Transport Secretary John MacGregor to help hasten a
- decision by Card on whether to approve the British Airways-USAir
- deal.
- </p>
-
- </body></article>
- </text>
-
-