Airlines Keep Up Criticism Against Ec

The European airline industry kept up its criticism of the European Commission last week, saying it was hindering the sectors development, but the European Union transport chief insisted relations with industry were fine.

EU transport commissioner Neil Kinnock also made it clear the EU executive would push ahead with its persistent efforts to boost competition in Europes liberalised skies, even if this drew fire from some of the established airlines. Kinnock was responding to remarks by the secretary general of the Association of European Airlines Karl-Heinz Neumeister, who warned of a danger the 15-nation bloc was moving back to a re-regulation of its aviation market. We see continued intervention in the functioning of the liberalised environment putting the greater global interests of the European airlines at risk, Neumeister said.