WASHINGTON/LONDON: November 28, 2018. The United States and Britain have concluded a new bilateral air services agreement for a post-Brexit trading environment.

The new deal provides the legal framework to continue air services for the 20 million passengers and more than 900,000 tons of cargo flown between the two countries annually.

Willie Walsh, IAG Group CEO commented: "It’s critical that Britain maintains full access to international aviation markets so it can continue to develop its global trading links. This agreement is a significant positive development which we welcome. The agreement, which closely follows the Model US Open Skies Agreement, facilitates strong competition and is clearly pro-consumer.”

The UK government says it has also concluded a similar agreement with Canada Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, Morocco and Switzerland.

US airline trade association Airlines for America (A4A) has also welcomed the new US air agreement: “Today’s announcement provides much needed certainty that when the UK exits the European Union there will be no disruption to air service for the traveling and shipping public,” said Nicholas Calio, A4A president and CEO.

“Continued connectivity also will benefit the 720,000 men and women employed by the US airline industry. We deeply appreciate the sense of urgency that both governments and their negotiators brought to concluding this agreement,” he added.

Pictured: Providing relief to those affected by the recent California wildfires, almost 100 Arizona-based American Airlines employees put together 20,000 American Red Cross hygiene kits at the carrier’s cargo facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). According to the airline it was the largest disaster relief effort in its 92-year history. John Daley, managing director of PHX for American commented: “It’s important that we lend a hand to those in need, not only to the thousands of our colleagues who call California home, but also to all of those who have been impacted.”