American CEO on Gulf Carrier Pact: 'Someone Is Cheating Already'
Skift Take
Remember when the Trump administration suggested in May it had solved the ongoing dispute between U.S. and Gulf carriers? Hah. American Airlines CEO Doug Parker is already complaining one competitor is ignoring the spirit of the agreement.
One of the three largest Gulf carriers is again not fighting fairly on transatlantic routes, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said Wednesday at an industry event.
Parker made the allegation just four months after the Trump administration brokered a compromise with governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over concerns airlines in those countries receive unfair subsides and undercut U.S. carriers.
"Someone is cheating already," Parker said at Airlines for America's Commericial Aviation Industry Summit in Washington, D.C.
In May, as part of negotiations with American diplomats, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways vowed to open their books to make it more clear whether or not they received government subsidies, as the largest U.S. carriers have alleged. In addition, under side letters, Parker said the three Gulf airlines had signaled they did not intend to launch new routes between the
