The Hill: Opinion: Open Skies deals with Qatar, UAE need a level playing field
“A recent op-ed in The Hill (“Let’s keep Open Skies open,” by Danny Sebright, March 19) disingenuously downplayed the massive government support enjoyed by Middle Eastern airlines as they attempt to flood U.S. markets.
A recent op-ed in The Hill (“Let’s keep Open Skies open,” by Danny Sebright, March 19) disingenuously downplayed the massive government support enjoyed by Middle Eastern airlines as they attempt to flood U.S. markets.In addition, Sebright attempts to lump this important issue with the U.S. aviation industry’s broad questions about Norwegian Air’s operational plans; these are separate issues and Sebright’s column is a dishonest attempt to paint U.S. carriers as anti-competition.
Qatar, Etihad and Emirates airways, three state-owned enterprises, have benefited from approximately $42 billion in subsidies and unfair benefits funneled their way by the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, these airlines are aided by abhorrent labor practices in their home countries that help keep costs low, ties to their regulators that would be unthinkable in the U.S., and opaque financing tactics that obscure massive infusions of government dollars. With these advantages, it’s no wonder that they have expanded so rapidly.”