The USA and Poland have signed an open skies bilateral agreement, liberalising air services between the two countries. The pact immediately eliminates restrictions on codesharing services by both sides. Some limits were placed on services to both countries, as well as to intermediate and beyond points through to 31 December 2003, at which point all restrictions will be dropped. Lufthansa will start services between Frankfurt and Bangalore, India, on 1 September. US Airways is to introduce a Philadelphia-Barbados service in November, and, from January, twice-weekly flights will operate between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Cozumel in Mexico. China Southwest Airlines is launching weekly charter flights from Hong Kong to Lhasa, Tibet. TAM Brazil has inaugurated the first daily jet service between Miami and the Brazilian city of Manaus, which is in the heart of the Amazon. From November, Spanish carrier Air Europa will operate three weekly services between Madrid and Caracas using Boeing 767-300ERs. Contrary to an earlier report, JAT Yugoslav Airlines says it did not suspend flights to Skopje, despite the tense security situation in Macedonia (Flight International, 19-25 June). Spirit Airlines is to launch daily services between Chicago O'Hare and Tampa, Florida, from November. Hawaiian Airlines is to launch daily services between Seattle and Kahului, Maui, from February using Boeing 767-300ERs. Direct flights between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the USA began on June 17 with the arrival in Dubai of a Delta Air Lines Boeing MD-11 from New York. Delta is operating three flights a week. In a separate development, the UAE and Canada have signed an air transport agreement, opening the way for direct flights between the two countries. Alaska Airlines has beaten eight other carriers for coveted slots at congested Washington Reagan National Airport, allowing it to begin daily services from Seattle in mid-September.
Source: Flight International
