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APRIL CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE CHANGES TO TRANS-ATLANTIC AVIATION

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Thursday, March 20, 2003

WRITER: Heidi Murphy, 706/542-5172, hmurphy@uga.edu CONTACT: Nelda Parker, 706/542-7875, nparker@uga.edu

APRIL CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE CHANGES TO TRANS-ATLANTIC AVIATION

ATHENS, Ga. - In this world of ever increasing competition and international interests, have you wondered when airline companies would face similar globalization issues as car manufacturers did in the 1980-90s? The drive for changes in the trans-Atlantic airline industry could result in profound changes to the operations of U.S. carriers such as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Air Lines. What would happen to U.S. domestic carriers if international aviation companies such as Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines were able to invest freely in U.S. carriers and vice versa? Would this be the demise of the U.S. airline industry as we know it or perhaps result in a boon for our troubled carriers? This will be one of the many issues surrounding the opening up of the trans-Atlantic airways that will be the focus of a conference to be held April 10-12 at the University of Georgia School of Law.

The Trans-Atlantic Relationship - Aviation Policy: Clearing the Way to a More Open Market Conference is organized by the UGA School of Law's Dean Rusk Center - - International, Comparative and Graduate Legal Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel's Institute for European Studies, and the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia. At the conference, many issues of immediate concern in the liberalization of trans-Atlantic aviation will be explored. Conference panelists and speakers include representatives from the European Commission, U.S. Department of Transportation, international aviation organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and International Air Transport Association, and European and American companies in the field in addition to leading aviation attorneys from the U.S. and academics. For lawyers, continuing legal education (CLE) credit is available.

Part of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Dean Rusk Center, this conference will be directed by attorney Charles Hunnicutt, former U.S. assistant secretary of transportation, and attorney Catherine Erkelens. Boeing, Delta Air Lines and Federal Express are sponsors of the event.

For registration and detailed conference information, please visit the conference's Web site at http://www.uga.edu/ruskcenter/aviation.html or contact Ebony Thompson at 706-542-5137.

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