Business Travel Tips

With Open Skies going into effect March 30, trans-Atlantic business travelers can expect more options. The agreement signed between the United States and European Union to free up routes to and from the U.S. and the E.U. to all carriers, will give fliers more flight choices as well as more carriers to choose from when flying.

That means increased competition on various routes and so expectations of lower airfares.

However, industry analysts are hesitant to forecast decreasing prices on trans-Atlantic routes, particularly given the recent fare increases by major domestic carriers in response to the rising price of oil.
Kevin Maguire, president and CEO of the National Business Travel Association, interviewed by Forbes says E.U. airlines frequently have newer and more efficient aircraft that use less fuel with savings on fuel costs that could be as high as 15% to 20% when compared with less efficient aircraft. That, according Maguire, could allow foreign carriers to undercut the U.S. carriers and at least hold fares stable.