CODESHARING TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION -

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