Durbin Statement on US-Japan Open Skies Agreement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, announced that the United States and Japan had reached an Open-Skies aviation agreement.
“The Open-Skies agreement with Japan will prove to be a huge benefit to U.S. businesses and consumers alike. Expanded air service between Chicago and Japan will give U.S. air travelers greater access to Asian markets, increase choices for consumers and provide competitive fares from a wide range of carriers,” Durbin said. “Secretary of Transportation LaHood and Secretary of State Clinton worked long and hard on this agreement and I thank them for their efforts. In the end, with Chicago home to one of the world’s busiest airports, this agreement will further cement Chicago as a major international hub and a gateway to businesses across the world.”
The new agreement will open air services for U.S. and Japanese carriers, allowing them to select routes and destinations based on consumer demand. Current limitations on the number of carriers operating between the U.S. and Japan would be lifted as would restrictions on passenger capacity and pricing.