EU-US air deal endorsed with five-month delay

Brussels, Mar 22: The European Union unanimously backed a deal with the United States on Thursday to liberalise transatlantic air travel but delayed its start by five months at Britain's request, German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said.

Tiefensee, who chaired a meeting of EU transport ministers, said the agreement would enter force on March 31, 2008, instead of in October as initially agreed with Washington.

The pact, agreed after four years of talks, will allow any EU airline to fly from any city in the 27-nation bloc to any city in the United States and vice versa.

Reuters