Release #: 15.10
April 21, 2015
Statement on the Release of Gulf Carriers’ Financial Records
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Capt. Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement regarding today's release by the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies of a compilation of financial records from Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways.
"It's time the three Gulf carriers commit to doing business transparently and explain the numbers. These documents make it clear that Qatar and the UAE are unfairly subsidizing their state-owned airlines in breach of their service agreements with the United States. As a result, our U.S. airlines aren't competing with other airlines—they are competing with the treasuries of very wealthy nations.
"It's time for the United States to tell the UAE and Qatar that a deal is a deal. The Obama administration should open consultations with these two governments immediately to get the facts about their airlines' finances. We need our government alongside us in the fight for a strong and vibrant U.S. airline industry."
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines undertook an extensive search for information about subsidies the three Gulf carriers receive from their governments. The U.S. airlines obtained hundreds of pages of financial statements, charter documents, and other records from corporate registries in various countries where the Gulf carriers have local operations. For the relevant documents, click here.
Background on Partnership for Open & Fair Skies
ALPA is a member of the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, a coalition that includes American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, along with the Allied Pilots Association, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the Communications Workers of America, the Airline Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the Transport Workers Union of America. The Partnership presented a white paper, "Restoring Open Skies: The Need to Address Subsidized Competition from State-Owned Airlines in Qatar and the UAE," to the U.S. government earlier this year.
The Partnership is calling on the Obama administration to open consultations under the Open Skies agreements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to address the flow of subsidized capacity to the United States, and to seek a freeze on new passenger service during the consultations.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 30 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.
###
CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440 or Media@alpa.org
-###-