"Open Skies" Between US and EU
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4973908.stm

What do you think, good or bad for the American Airlines?

This has already passed in Canada I believe.

bad. Most of the US airlines that appear to have decent management are LCCs that wouldn't want to go to Europe. A couple of the legacies could probably survive, but I think that European airlines have better management because it's more difficult to make money by driving a business into the ground over there.

It also depends on if the European airlines would hire American pilots for their routes and vise-versa. If not, then the value of currency could play a large role. Can you imagine Air France trying to make JFK-LAX profitable by paying their pilots in Euros, while American can pay their pilots half as much since they're being payed in dollars?

There's a lot of factors that go into this, but I do think it will happen eventually. It's just part of globalization.

I can't imagine, however, getting on with a major and having them tell me I'll be based in Brussels or some crappy place like that (I hated it there)

ask any merchant marine what foreing ownership meant for them. the answer will be "pure ****". those guys got totally screw and if foreing airline ownership happens we will get screw too.

the planes will be flagged in bangladesh and no unions will be legal. prettyy nice uh?