The EC's transport ministers are due to meet in Brussels today (March 22) to discuss the Open Skies deal with the US amid signs the UK is still deeply unhappy with the proposals.
The UK government indicated during the week it would like to see the approval for any deal delayed until next year when the fifth terminal opens at London Heathrow.
Tony Blair, the UK prime minister, was also due to have talks with US president George Bush on possible concessions from the Americans on a deal which the British see as one-sided.
Willie Walsh, BA's ceo, has also made a new attempt to stop the deal, appealing to the British government to oppose it at the Brussels meeting.
In a letter to the UK transport secretary, Douglas Alexander, Mr Walsh called for "reassurance" that Britain would oppose the deal because it was "heavily imbalanced in favour of the US."
The issue was further clouded by the apparent stance of Wolfgang Tiefensee, the German transport minister and current chairman of the EC transport council.
He has reportedly said he wants a consensus at Friday's meeting, which might give the British a power of either veto or delay.
There were also reports of opposition from US congressmen to the deal in its newly negotiated format.
Under the deal, US airlines will be given access to fly to any EU airport and from there onto other EU airports and other countries.
In return, EU airlines will be alble to fly to any US airport and then onto other countries. But they will not be able to fly from one US city to another.
This is one of the areas BA is opposed to as the carrier says the lucrative US domestic market remains closed to them and other European carriers.
The proposed deal also opens up Heathrow from which, under a long time agreement, only four airlines can fly to New York.
BA and Virgin Atlantic, the two UK airlines in this deal, both oppose these new arrangements which would allow any carreir to fly the route, providing it could get slots at Heathrow.
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