United States, Laos Reach Open–Skies Aviation Agreement. The United States and Laos today concluded an Open-Skies agreement that will establish free trade in aviation services between the two countries. The agreement, the first aviation accord between the two countries, makes Laos the 93rd U.S. Open-Skies partner. Under the new agreement, airlines from both countries will be allowed to select routes and destinations based on consumer demand, without limitations on the number of U.S. or Laotian carriers that can fly between the two countries or the number of flights they can operate. The provisions of the agreement take effect immediately.

BTS Changes List of Airports for 2009 Flight Delays. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) will not require airlines to report 2009 on-time data for Oakland International Airport (OAK). For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2008, Oakland fell below the threshold of 1 percent of the nation's total domestic scheduled-service passenger enplanements for which monthly reports are required. There are 31 remaining airports on the list. The change is not expected to affect the data as now reported, since all reporting airlines voluntarily submit data for all domestic airports served. BTS made no changes in the carriers required to report. Reports are required from the 18 carriers that met the threshold of 1 percent of scheduled domestic passenger revenue for the 12 months ended March 31, 2008. Aloha Airlines voluntarily reported until it ceased operations in March 2008 and Pinnacle Airlines will continue to report voluntarily. For the complete list of carriers required to report data in 2009 and the airports for which reports are required, see http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/accounting_and_reporting_directives/technical_directive.html BTS also has issued new carrier groupings for 2009 based on revenue. Hawaiian Airlines, with revenue exceeding $1 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, was reclassified as a major airline. The Accounting and Reporting Directive can be found at http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/accounting_and_reporting_directives/number_285.html Contact: Dave Smallen: 202-366-5568.