Ryanair welcomes Open Skies agreement

The Open Skies agreement, signed yesterday by Europe and the United States, has received the backing of low-fares airline Ryanair.

Established to introduce greater competition to the trans-Atlantic market, the agreement is likely to force down prices ahead of final implementation.

Peter Sherrard, Ryanair's head of communications, believes that this can only benefit customers and the aviation industry at large.

"Ryanair welcomes this Open Skies agreement because Irish passengers will now enjoy greater choice and lower airfares on transatlantic routes. For years, prices have been too high on these routes because of government controlled bi-lateral agreements," he said.

British Airways and the UK government have expressed concerns that the agreement favours US airlines, but Sherrard insists that consumers must be the first priority.

He has also called for deregulation of airports, saying that passengers "deserve an end to the government protected airport monopolies too".

"In Ireland, consumers are still paying for an absence of competition in this sector, which is bedevilled by protected monopoly airports," he argued.

Aer Lingus, Ireland's second-largest airline, has responded to the Open Skies agreement by initiating plans to launch three long-haul routes to its network by the end of the year.

Dermot Mannion, chief executive of the carrier, said: "Finally, Aer Lingus can offer the increased choice of US destinations that our customers want and that will contribute to the continued growth of Aer Lingus as a profitable and independent company."

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