The US concludes "open skies" agreements with Armenia, Laos and Vietnam

On 7 October 2008 the US Department of Transportation announced that the United States had concluded a new "open skies" agreement with Armenia, and "open skies" with Vietnam with respect to cargo-only air services. An "open skies" agreement with Laos was announced by DoT on 3 October 2008.

This brings to 94 the number of "open skies" relationships that the United States has reached. Note that ICAO has 190 Contracting States so the US is now just under half way through all the possible "open skies" relationships that it could have.

ASEAN Secretary General says progress towards regional "open skies" is slow

On 24 June 2007 Bloomberg reported comments by Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Ong Keng Yong to a World Economic Forum meeting that progress on reaching a limited "open skies" air transport agreement covering routes between ASEAN capitals by 2008 was proving to be slow.

Malaysia seeking to liberalise air services arrangements with Singapore, Vietnam and Brunei

Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, has a 9 February 2007 article reporting that Malaysia is to renegotiate its air services arrangements with Vietnam. This news comes out of bilateral discussions held during the ASEAN transport ministers meeting this week. Currently services between Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh City are capacity restricted with Malaysia using its full allocation of 14 flights per week.

The article also reports on a ministerial commitment to renegotiate the 34-year old Malaysia-Singapore air services arrangements. Currently the number of Singaporean and Malaysian airlines that can fly between Singapore and KL is restricted, thereby excluding the new low-cost carriers. A separate article reports that these negotiations will start in March.

Malaysia is also planning to negotiate with Brunei.

New Zealand has "open skies" arrangements in place with Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, the latter two through the MALIAT.