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(Adds U.S statement)
LONDON/WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Britain and the United
States have signed a deal for the continuation of flights
between the two countries as the UK prepares for the end of its
transition period with the European Union.
The deal, called the Air Services Agreement, was reached in
November 2018, and signed on Tuesday by UK transport minister
Grant Shapps after being signed last week by U.S. Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
"This agreement will establish the legal framework for
passengers and cargo to keep flying between our two great
nations," Pompeo said on Twitter.
Chao called the agreement "historic," adding that it is set
to take effect Jan. 1.
Britain left the EU earlier this year but in practice
remains covered by EU agreements and rules until the transition
period finishes at the end of this year.
The newly signed agreement allows the two countries to
continue existing operations as they did under the EU-U.S. open
skies deal, although flying between them is currently at a very
low level due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before COVID-19, tens of millions of passengers a year
traveled between the countries, contributing to a trading
relationship with the U.S. worth over 230 billion pounds ($300
billion), the UK's Department for Transport said in a statement.
British Airways, part of IAG, and Virgin Atlantic,
two UK-based airlines that fly trans-Atlantic routes, have
called on the two governments to work together to agree to a
testing regime to allow travel to recover during the pandemic.
(Reporting by Sarah Young and David Shepardso in Washignton;
editing by Michael Holden and Stephen Addison)
