Foreign airlines operating in the EU need to subscribe to internal EU regulations: AEA

Association of European Airlines CEO Athar Husain Khan, speaking at the CAPA World Aviation Summit, said (21-Nov-2014) foreign airlines operating in the EU need to subscribe to internal EU regulations. Mr Khan said the main issue is compliance with existing liberalisation rules. Etihad Airways chief strategy and planning officer Kevin Knight said the liberalisation agenda in Europe is unfinished. Mr Knight called for liberalisation of the ability to give capital to airlines to strengthen carriers and give more choice to consumers. Mr Knight said Etihad Airways is working with the EU and other stakeholders to define 'fair competition' and is hopeful of an agreement. Mr Knight said 'fair competition' should not be a mechanism to defend inefficiencies. European Commission director aviation and international transport affairs Margus Rahuoja said the commission is reflecting on the definition of 'fair competition'. IAG CEO Willie Walsh said there are no limits to market liberalisation and called for the industry to remove restrictions, allowing consumers rather than governments or bilateral agreements to determine the success of airlines. Mr Walsh said efficient carriers will succeed and inefficient airlines will not. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said full liberalisation requires a global regulation mechanism. Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) president Lee Moak called for open skies with conditions to allow fair competition and market-based, rather than "subsidised" competition.