JAMAICA AND the United States have reached an "Open Skies" air transport agreement. The pact was signed on Wednesday after three days of talks in Washington D.C.
The US delegation was led by representatives of the State Department's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. Representatives of the Department of Transportation and US industry also attended. The agreement will come into force on being signed by both governments.
In October 2000, the two governments negotiated an all-cargo Open Skies agreement, but the comprehensive Open Skies accord reached this week will replace the all-cargo agreement when it enters into force. It is the 59th bilateral Open Skies agreement negotiated by the United States.
The agreement creates important new opportunities to strengthen US-Jamaican economic relations through closer air links in tourism and trade.
On its entry into force, the agreement will provide for immediate implementation of nearly all Open Skies provisions, including substantially open route rights, unrestricted capacity and frequencies and code-sharing opportunities.
A transitional annex provides for implementation of certain rights relating to passenger charter services within a few years.
According to a press release from the US Office of Public Affairs, the Open Skies agreement creates opportunities for Jamaican and US air carriers to develop the two countries' aviation market. Such shared commercial interests build a foundation for the close bilateral co-operation that both governments seek to promote.
