In recent years, the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has had the opportunity to consider the anti-competitive impact of inter-airline cooperation agreements among leading players in the trans-Pacific market. The Singapore competition authority's approach typifies a pragmatic regulatory stance that tends toward favouring such agreements. This is particularly so when the regulator considers broadly-defined economic benefits for the overall economy. The likelihood of approval is also enhanced when there are significant competitors in the relevant markets that promise to discipline the co-operating airlines. Of course, the competition or antitrust regimes in different countries remain distinct and cannot be easily generalized. Yet, the Singapore approach may be instructive for other 'beyond' or 'extension' markets in Asia, with interesting implications for predicting the inclination of regulators in countries such as China.
Air and Space Law