Frontier Airlines has applied for blanket open-skies authority to fly to any country that has an open-skies agreement with the United States.
The move comes after the European Union last month approved a long-awaited open- skies agreement with the United States that opens up restricted transatlantic routes.
Denver-based Frontier flies within the United States and to Mexico and Canada, but its international flying is relatively limited compared with larger carriers such as United Airlines.
Frontier called the U.S. Department of Transportation’s initiative to issue blanket open-skies authority “an important step to enhance travel and commerce for communities throughout the United States and for countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America and throughout the world.”
“Moreover, this will open the door for Frontier to add important service to its system,” Frontier said in its application.
Frontier chief executive Jeff Potter has expressed interest in flying to the Caribbean and Central America, including Jamaica and Costa Rica.
The EU open-skies authority also opens the door for United Airlines to fly from Denver to London.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
