The law of the European community relating to air transport

Abstract

International air transport traditionally was regulated on the basis of a network of bilateral agreements between states. Many of these agreements tended to include various restrictions on market access and air carriers' schedules, capacity and tariffs. Within the Community the Commission had taken the initiative, inspired by the deregulation of air transport in the United States to develop a more liberal regime for the air transport sector. Liberalisation of the sector in the Community was conceived of as a gradual process giving industry sufficient time to prepare itself for the changed environment. We shall see how this liberalised regime opens up market access and sets airlines free to compete on intra-Commuunity routes. Community liberalisation is not complete deregulation in the sense that a residual amount of regulation continues to apply. Restrictions on the commercial freedom of airlines, however have now been lifted to a very large extent and are not significantly more onerous than in most other industries.