UAE initials 'Open Sky' air services agreement with Portuguese Republic
18-Dec-2010 The United Arab Emirates represented by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has initialled an "open" Air Services Agreement (ASA) and has signed a Record of Discussion with the Portuguese Republic in Dubai on 16th December 2010.
The Agreement replaces an old Agreement initialled on 2nd May 2005 in Lisbon, and included new articles on safety, aviation security, designation and tariffs clauses which meet the European Union requirements.
The agreement was initialled by His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Mr. Luiz Anotonio Foseca de Almeida, Director of the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Portuguese Republic. Representatives from Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Sharjah Department of Civil Aviation, and representatives from UAE national airlines, attended the negotiations.
The UAE Delegation designated Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, RAK Airways, Air Arabia and FlyDubai as UAE national airlines under the Agreement to operate the agreed services between the two countries.
The agreement allows unrestricted frequencies, capacity and types of aircraft, whether owned or leased, to be operated by the Designated Airlines of each country in any type of service (passenger or cargo).
The agreement also includes, in addition to the third and fourth freedoms, the exercise of full fifth freedom traffic rights on all European points without any restriction.