Air Arabia CEO: liberalise aviation transport sector

Air Arabia CEO Adel Ali said "viation regulatory committees in the Arab world are still not aptly recognising open skies policies and air liberalisation" and urged Arab countries to follow in the steps of Jordan in liberalising the aviation transport sector (The Jordan Times, 27-Jan-2011). Transport Minister Alaa Batayneh said the agreement signed in Mar-2010 with the European Union is in line with Jordan's national air transport strategy of gradual liberalisation of air transport to announce the open skies policy in the country by the end of 2011, but officials have expressed concerns over the agreement, saying that allowing unrestricted number of flights for companies on both sides will be more beneficial for European carriers.