Qatar Airways Shows Support for Open Skies
In a letter to the U.S. government, Qatar Airways has submitted its support for the Open Skies policy. In the letter, the airline refutes allegations of “unfair competition” and state backing and dispels the notion that the country should change its policy of allowing carriers to fly in and out of the U.S. without government interference. The allegations came from major American airlines including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United. The airline argues that the nature of Open Skies allows all airlines to operate without government restrictions and that the airline does not compete against any U.S. carrier on nonstop routes.
“The Open Skies model was developed by the American carriers and has demonstrated how an Open Skies paves the way for an open economy. We are concerned to see the Big 3 seek to change the rules of the game as soon as they see US consumers respond well to the services offered by a competitor,” said Qatar Airways GCEO Akbar Al Baker.