"I'm optimistic, I'm hopeful," Yeo said ahead of his trip to Australia to meet with Australian Transport Minnister John Anderson.

"Let's have a roadmap. It doesn't have to be one mighty leap ... hopefully not five years; I would prefer two years down the road."

The transport ministry, which released Yeo's comments made in an interview with the Straits Times newspaper, confirmed to AFP Yeo will meet with Anderson in Australia next week.

Singapore has been lobbying Australia for nearly two years for a full open skies agreement which would give Singapore Airlines access to the lucrative Australia-Los Angeles route.

The two nations signed an agreement in 2003 that expanded bilateral air links, giving Australian national carrier Qantas unrestricted rights to

Singapore as a base for its global operations.

Singapore Airlines was denied reciprocal rights to fly from Australia to the United States as Canberra sought to protect Qantas from competition on one of its most profitable routes.

The Australian government cited the poor state of the local aviation industry following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States as a reason for holding back on full liberalisation.

Yeo said next week's negotiations, the first official talks on the issue since the 2003 deal, was a step forward in correcting a situation that was very much in Qantas' favour.

According to Yeo, Qantas enjoys substantial "fifth freedom air rights" in Singapore, with more than half its flights into Changi airport flying on to other destinations.

Singapore Airlines has access to only fly on to New Zealand from Australia, he said, dismissing claims by Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon that it is the Australian carrier that is at a disadvantage under current arrangements.

"The playing field has actually been very, very tilted in favor of Qantas ... I mean it's such a steep slope that it is incredible," Yeo said.

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