【视频讲解】

First, European regulators have tried harder to preserve competition between existing carriers. The EU has been willing to block mergers, such as a proposed tie-up between Ryanair and Aer Lingus, and to prevent airlines from building monopoly positions at airports. Not so in America: at 40 of its 100 biggest hubs, a single carrier now accounts for more than half of capacity. That pushes up prices. The merger of American and US Airways in 2013 increased American’s market share at Philadelphia’s airport to 77%. Fares rose from 4% below the national average in 2013 to 11% above after the merger.
首先，欧洲的监管机构更为努力地维护现有航空公司之间的竞争。欧盟一向愿意阻止合并，防止航空公司在机场建立垄断地位，例如它曾叫停瑞安航空与爱尔兰航空（Aer Lingus）的合并计划。美国的情况则不同：在100个最大的枢纽机场中，有40个机场超过一半的容量都属于某一家航空公司。这推高了票价。美国航空（American Airlines）和全美航空（US Airways）于2013年合并，导致美国航空在费城机场的市场份额上升至77%。该公司票价在2013年较全国平均水平低4%，合并后则比平均水平高出11%。

preserve v.维持 (maintain), 保护(protect)
- The laws are intended to help preserve our environment.
block v.阻止
propose v.提议
tie-up n.合并
monopoly n.独家垄断
hub n.中心
account for 占有.....
capacity n.容量

Second, Europe has made it easier for foreigners to boost competition by entering new markets. There are no ownership limits at all between European countries; and the EU lets airlines with a non-EU owner that has a stake of up to 49% fly anywhere within the bloc. America caps foreign ownership at 25%. Foreign joint ventures, such as Virgin America (which was acquired by Alaska Air Group last year) struggle to take off.
其次，欧洲让外国人更容易进入新市场，以此促进竞争。欧洲国家之间不存在任何持股限制，而且只要航空公司的非欧盟股东持股在49%以内，它就可以在欧盟的任何地方飞行。美国的外资持股上限为25%。维珍美国航空（Virgin America，去年被阿拉斯加航空集团收购）等外国合资企业步履维艰。

boost v.增加
bloc n.联盟 （欧盟）
cap v.以...为上限

Third, Europe has also encouraged competition between different airports and their main operators. Breaking up the ownership of London’s biggest three airports has saved passengers £420m ($628m) in fares since 2009, according to ICF International, a consultancy. In contrast, most American cities have only one airport, many of them publicly owned.
第三，欧洲还鼓励不同机场及其主要运营商之间的竞争。根据咨询公司ICF国际（ICF International）的数据，自2009年以来，拆分伦敦最大的三个机场的所有权为乘客节省了4.2亿英镑（6.28亿美元）的机票费用。相比之下，大多数美国城市都只有一个机场，其中有许多是归政府所有。
consultancy n.咨询公司

Some of Europe’s advantages are hard to replicate. Distances between big cities are shorter, making road and rail transport serious rivals. Yet that is all the more reason for America to promote competition in the sky. America’s regulators should loosen the cap on foreign ownership, take away slots from incumbents and promote the use of secondary airports to give new entrants a leg-up. If that doesn’t yield dividends, regulators should consider breaking up the big airlines. Allowing competition to wither was a huge mistake. It should be rectified.
欧洲的一些优势很难复制。欧洲大城市之间的距离较短，使公路和铁路运输成为飞机的劲敌。然而，这也让美国更有理由推动天空中的竞争。为了帮助新进者，美国的监管机构应该放松对外资持股的限制，减少现有企业独占的起降时段，并促进支线机场的使用。如果这样做没有产生回报，监管机构应该考虑拆分大型航空公司。放任竞争减少是一个巨大的错误，应该予以纠正。

replicate v.复制
- replica n.赝品
cap n.限制
slot n.可用机位
incumbent n.在职者（现有航空企业）
entrant n.新加入者
let-up n.帮助 （boost）
yield v.产生
dividend n.回报
wither v.减弱，枯萎
- The plants withered and died.
rectify v.纠正