The United Kingdom has signed transatlantic bilateral air traffic agreements with the United States and Canada due to enter into force once the country leaves the European Union on March 29, 2019.
Both agreements will replace the existing EU-US/Canada transatlantic open skies deals. The UK will cease to be included in the agreements as of its exit from the bloc.
"The deal [with the US] ensures that planes flying from the UK will continue to enjoy the same access they currently have with the US, ensuring the UK maintains its place as Europe’s most important aviation hub," the UK Department of Transport said in a statement.
The agreement reached on November 28 was welcomed by the likes of IAG International Airlines Group and Airlines for America (A4A), the key industry group in the US.
On November 30, the UK DOT reached a similar agreement with Canada. It will also retain the current rules of air traffic between the countries, including fifth freedom rights.
The UK DOT also said that it had already reached agreements regulating bilateral air traffic with Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, Morocco, and Switzerland. All of them will also retain the current regulatory framework under the EU-wide pact.
However, the UK is yet to reach an agreement with the EU as such. So far, the parties have only issued a non-binding political declaration that the current liberal air traffic regime will continue.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, 29.52% of air traffic from Europe (including non-EU countries) to North America by capacity currently originates in the UK. The second biggest country of origin, Germany, has a much smaller share of 15.47%.
The US is also the second-biggest international market from the UK with 9.7% market share by capacity among international services.
