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US Congress seeks consultations over alleged subsidies given to Gulf carriers

US Congress pushes for discussion on alleged Gulf airline subsidies

WASHINGTON DC, October 1, 2015

Six top members of the Congress have sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx urging the Obama administration to open consultations with Qatar and the UAE over subsidies the states have allegedly given Gulf airlines.

The bipartisan letter, which was signed by Representatives Daniel Lipinski, Robert J Dold, Steve Israel, Frank Pallone Jr, Paul Cook and Tom Emmer, follows a letter that was sent to the Administration by 262 House members expressing concern about the impact of the alleged subsidies on the US aviation industry.

The concern was first brought to light in January this year when three US airlines alleged that Gulf carriers - Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways - had received more than $40 billion in subsidies over the last decade, and claimed that this had helped them to drive down the ticket prices and push competitors out of key markets.

The members have further requested a meeting with Secretary Foxx to discuss the perceived risks to the US airline industry and to US jobs from the Gulf carriers.

“We hope that Secretary Foxx will listen closely to the concerns of Congress because inaction poses a serious threat to American jobs and the US aviation industry,” said Jill Zuckman, chief spokesperson for the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Gulf | US | Congress | subsidy | carriers |

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