U.S., Japan Near Open Skies Breakthrough

[straitman]

U.S., Japan Near Open Skies Breakthrough

Adrian Schofield/Washington

U.S. and Japanese negotiators are poised to achieve a long-awaited breakthrough in aviation talks this week, further opening one of the most restricted airline markets and setting the stage for a major competitive shake-up.

Both sides are signaling that the latest round of open skies negotiations will yield an agreement. While the deal will expand U.S. airline access to the Tokyo airports, its most important element will be allowing transpacific joint ventures between U.S. and Japanese carriers, industry observers say. This is prompting airline maneuvering on a grand scale as they seek the linkups that will allow them to take best advantage of a newly liberated market.

 

[medhead]

If this happens does that remove a major factor in preventing JAL from going bust?

 

[samh004]

If this happens does that remove a major factor in preventing JAL from going bust?

I’d think it would be more likely (to go bust), as there’ll be more US carriers able to offer fares to/from Japan, regardless of JAL being able to offer fares in the US.