Australia and the United States reached a bilateral "open skies" agreement

that would eliminate rules which effectively limit services between the two countries to those provided by Qantas and United Airlines. Both nations still need to formally approve the deal. "Airlines from both countries will be allowed to select routes and destinations based on consumer demand, without limitations on the number of U.S. or Australian carriers that can fly between the two countries or the number of flights they can operate," according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.