Wisdom Of Overseas Airlines Flying Continental Us Routes

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 467
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Many travelers are concerned over the future of cheap travel options in the United States, including cheap airplane tickets, discount travel deals, and cheap vacation packages, given that only four major U.S. based airlines continue to operate after all of the recent airline consolidations.

U.S. flight attendants tend to make a pre-flight announcement which many passengers now find ironic where they thank fliers for their business saying “We know you have a choice in airlines.” Increasingly that is no longer the case.

However, competition could easily return to U.S. skies if foreign airlines were allowed to fly within the United States. Not only would prices be likely to drop, but select foreign airlines offer service far superior to what US fliers are accustomed to.

Today international airlines do fly in this country, but they are not allowed to fly point to point destinations domestically.

Experts believe that foreign airline competition on domestic routes and capital investment in U.S. airlines could quickly and significantly improve passenger service, cause fares to drop, and encourage new ...
... start-up airlines, as well as relieve overcrowding.

Unfortunately changing such a policy is difficult because before we would allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes in the U.S. we would insist that the European Union (EU) allow U.S. airlines to do the same in Europe.

Other objections to changing current laws include opposition from unions which fear that relaxing competition laws would endanger American jobs, and domestic airlines which do not want the competition.

Currently some international airlines receive subsidies from their governments or face less tax and regulatory burdens, which place U.S. airlines at a competitive disadvantage.

The barriers to foreign airlines flying domestic routes in countries other than the ones where they are based are not insurmountable.
Avianca is a Colombian airline, owned by a Brazilian, which offers flights between different cities in Spain. LAN, a Chilean airline, connects several cities in Colombia. Outside observers believe this type of competition leads to passengers enjoying more choices as well as better service.

Many airline customers believe that current government regulations are in place to help the airlines at the expense of consumers and more efficient businesses.

The EU is supporting a move to open America’s skies to competition, as seen by negotiations for its Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership treaty. Until foreign airlines are allowed to fly US domestic routes, travelers should consider flying on Virgin America, which embraces the superior service culture of its European namesake, Virgin Atlantic.
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