One thing you can say about the European Commission (EC) when it doesn't like something, it acts pretty quickly. With the powers of judge, jury and executioner, the EC has broader powers than those of the usual sovereign state authorities.
The European Commission is due to rule some time in the next few weeks on the British Airways and American Airlines (oh yes don't forget Iberia) Transatlantic Alliance.
I find it curious that so far the regulatory bodies have not taken too hard a look at this. Well maybe they just might.
With US Congress seemingly leaving this as unfinished business - and therefore tacitly approving the arrangement - it may all be up to the Commission to make a stand on the subject.
The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Travel Promotion Act (a companion bill is now in committee in the House) which would impose a $10 fee on those foreign visitors not paying for a visa to enter the United States. U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow said the legislation would help the United States "strengthen its image in the world as visitors leave with an improved perception of our country and her people." Perhaps, but on the front end, the U.S. image perceived by some may be weakening as a result.
On the same day that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection trumpeted the success of the
Electronic System of Travel Authorization, the European Commission's ambassador to the United States slammed the program. And these two sides are supposed to hammer out an all encompassing second-stage Open Skies agreement? Good luck.
Global distribution system regulatory reviews tend to take, well, forever. Okay, maybe Canada was quick. Anyway,
Travolution noted here that the
European Parliament has scheduled a debate on the European review for Sept. 3, "with a vote the next day." If approved, the revised code would be considered by the wider European Commission for ratification, "with the new rules coming into force towards the end of Q1 09,"
Travolution reported. Most interesting will be any determination about whether Amadeus' three part-owning airlines will still be bound by rules on equal play with other GDSs. Mostly, though, it seems people are just ready for a conclusion already. Asked in July about what he expects, Sabre Holdings chairman and CEO Sam Gilliland said, "It's hard to know. It ebbs and flows. I would hope that it's dragged on for long enough, and it would be nice to get to some resolution over the next couple months."
Click here for a timeline on the current EC review.
