They point out the European standards are stiffer than those agreed to by the Civil Aviation Organization of the United Nations. If the United States and Europe don't come to an agreement by May 8, look for the Clinton administration, under congressional pressure, to ban the flights of the supersonic Concorde airplanes into the United States. Concordes are operated only by Air France and British Air. They carry a minuscule portion of traffic over the Atlantic, and make little money for the airlines. They operate them more for prestige than profit, since Concordes are the world's only airliner capable of breaking the speed of sound.
Corporations use their purchasing clout to cut special deals with suppliers.
Travel suppliers are no different. In Detroit, however, the buyers have gone a step beyond. Faced with limited competition and high air fares, companies there are doing what they can to keep alive a competing airline. General Motors and DaimlerChrysler started the ball rolling when they agreed to pay a monthly fee to start-up airline Pro Air. In return, they get cut-rate ticket prices.