U.S. government officials will meet with the governments of
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next month to discuss allegations from some
U.S. carriers of Open Skies violations by Middle Eastern carriers. But the U.S.
government will not open former consultations or freeze flights, Politico
reported.
For more than a year, a coalition including American
Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have been pushing the U.S.
government to revisit Open Skies agreements with the two nations, alleging carriers
headquartered there are receiving an unfair
competitive advantage via government subsidies and benefits. The Gulf
carriers—Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways—have said they do
not receive subsidies and claim the U.S. carriers are trying to stifle
competition.
In a statement, U.S. Travel Association CEO
Roger Dow said the decision not to reopen agreements or freeze flights is
"an unequivocal victory for the U.S. economy, U.S. workers and travelers
all over the world." The Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, which
includes the three U.S. carriers, called the discussions "an important
step forward."