UK, Singapore strike air agreement

The UK and Singapore have reached a deal that will remove all restrictions on air services between the two nations.

Access to each country's aviation market will be opened to airlines from the other country, including flights to onward destinations, from March 30th 2008.

The agreement also includes a treaty that will improve arrangements on a range of issues including codesharing, fair competition and ground handling.

UK aviation minister Jim Fitzpatrick said he was "delighted" by the new deal, which is expected to be beneficial for both passengers and the aviation industry.

He added: "It is the most liberal agreement of its type and I hope it will set the standard for other comparable agreements in the future.

"This is a major step towards extending the benefits of open aviation agreements that travellers already enjoy within Europe."

The deal is the first of its kind to give unrestricted access to the London-US market to non-EU or US airlines.

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