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30
May

US allows unrestricted Saudi air carrier service to America

The United States signed an Open Skies air transport agreement with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, allowing for unrestricted air travel between the two countries.
After a transition period, the agreement will allow for “unrestricted air service by the airlines of both countries between and beyond the other’s territory, eliminating restrictions on how often the carriers fly, the kind of aircraft they use and the prices they charge,” according to the State Department. The goal is to strengthen and expand trade and tourism links with Saudi Arabia, “benefitting U.S. and Saudi Arabian businesses and travelers by expanding opportunities for air services and encouraging vigorous price competition by airlines, while preserving our commitments to aviation safety and security.”
The agreement was signed by U.S. Ambassador James Smith and Saudi Arabia’s deputy director of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Faisal bin Hamad Al-Sugair. The United States has more than 100 Open Skies agreements with partners around the world and at all levels of development.
The Hill, May 13, 2013