European Airports and Tourism Boards Side With Gulf Carriers in Open Skies Spat
Photo Credit: Arnaud Feist, President of ACI-Europe, speaking at an event at Brussels Airport, where he is also CEO. Flickr / Brussels Airport
Skift Take
New airlines from emerging markets want to help more people get out and see the world. If the world wants them to visit, then they need to allow those flights, or increase service from legacy U.S. and E.U. carriers to those markets, or both. There are plenty of eager travellers to go around.
Europe's airports and tourism boards took a side today in favor of Gulf carriers as the Open Skies debate, which rages on in the United States, made its way to the European Union.
At the Airports Council International (ACI)-Europe annual congress in Prague, European airports have presented their arguments in favor of allowing free competition from Gulf carriers in the market. They question claims by Europe's legacy airlines — which are largely supportive of legacy U.S. carriers — that the Gulf airlines receive aid which could be interpreted as unfair subsidies, and present this argument to EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc, who has previously said she would challenge unfair competition from the Gulf in the European aviation market.
Arnaud Feist, President of ACI Europe and CEO of Brussels Airport said in opening statements today that, "The European airlines attacking their Gulf competitors are our long-time partners. For many of us, their fate is also our fate. They
