THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY:

Mineta to sign 'open skies' deal with India (Michael Martinez, 4/13/05, San Jose Mercury News)

When Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta signs a deal Thursday creating an "open skies'' agreement with India, business and leisure travelers hope the result will be more flights and cheaper fares from the United States to India.

If it does what other open-skies deals have, fares are almost certain to drop.

The Department of Transportation believes the new agreement will be a boon to travelers who are accustomed to paying $2,000 for a round-trip fare during the popular travel months.

Mineta, who announced the deal in January, is scheduled to make it official Thursday in New Delhi with India's civil aviation minister, Praful Patel.

Once signed, provisions in the pact that affect routes and code-sharing will begin immediately, the Transportation Department said. The agreement replaces a 1956 deal that placed restrictions on the number of airlines that could fly between the two countries, the cities served, frequency of service and pricing.

Tightening the ties.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 14, 2005 6:52 AM