US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3019

UNCLAS VIENNA 003019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EB/TRA/AN AND EUR/AGS 
 
DOT FOR STEVEN HATLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: EAIR, AU 
SUBJECT:  CODESHARING TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION - 
 
AUSTRIAN RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 153814 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE 
 
PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1.  (SBU) Post discussed reftel questions with Ingrid 
 
Seyrlehner, Director of Air Transportation Affairs in the 
 
Austrian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and with her 
 
deputy, Dieter Gaupmann.  They informed us that Austria 
 
and the Russian Federation operate under a 1993 Air 
 
Services Agreement.  An annex allows for bilateral 
 
codesharing, but not any third-country codesharing.  This 
 
anex is not public, so the CAA is not able to share it 
 
with us.  Seyrlehner said the CAA is not aware of any 
 
problems with the Russian codesharing agreement. 
 
2.  (SBU) Seyrlehner noted that, from their experience 
 
with the Russians on this issue, Austria felt that Russia 
 
would not agree to a general, unrestricted third-country 
 
codesharing provision.  Instead, Russia would probably 
 
seek a more restrictive solution along the lines 
 
described in reftel, i.e., specifying a list of countries 
 
and foreign carriers that would be eligible to codeshare 
 
with U.S. airlines.  The CAA officials said Austria would 
 
allow Austrian Airlines (AUA) to carry passengers on a 
 
U.S. codeshare to Russia.  However, Seyrlehner was unsure 
 
whether Russia would agree to such an arrangement. 
 
3.  (SBU) The CAA officials characterized the Russian 
 
policy as restrictive, based on a regulated market and 
 
strict control of air traffic policy.  Seyrlehner noted 
 
that this approach was contrary to the USG's promotion of 
 
open skies. 
 
4.  (U) Currently, AUA has a codesharing agreement with 
 
United Airlines. 
 
BROWN