FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 11, 2001
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 8-01
United States, Israel Reach Agreement On Code-Sharing Services
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced that the United States and Israel have reached an agreement which provides for code-sharing services between the two countries for the first time.
"President Clinton and Vice President Gore have opened more markets and created more opportunities for air service than any comparable period in U.S. aviation history, enabling passengers and shippers to enjoy more frequent service and lower fares," Secretary Slater said. "These new opportunities for code-sharing service will provide better and more convenient service between the United States and Israel, promoting increased trade and tourism between our countries."
Under code-sharing, one airline offers service in its own name to a particular destination, but some or all of the transportation is provided by another carrier which carries its partner’s designator code. This practice allows carriers to provide more convenient and often seamless service to travelers.
The agreement, reached yesterday after two days of talks in Washington, allows carriers from each country to enter into code-sharing agreements with each other without limit, effective immediately. It also allows carriers of each country to enter code-sharing arrangements with third-country carriers. Two third-country code-sharing arrangements may begin immediately, and one such arrangement may be added on both April 1, 2002 and April 1, 2003.
In addition, Israeli carriers will be able to serve Montreal and Toronto, Canada, in conjunction with flights to or from the United States. Israel also will be able to provide direct service to 11 U.S. cities -- three more than were previously authorized -- on a phased-in basis through March 2004, and 17 additional U.S. cities by code-share service.
This is the 42nd liberalized aviation agreement reached during the Clinton administration. In addition, a total of 52 fully liberalized Open Skies agreements have been reached since 1992, 51 of them since President Clinton took office, as well as last years multilateral Open Skies agreement with Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore -- all part of the ongoing effort to promote trade and enable international aviation to take full advantage of the emerging global economy.
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