US, UAE sign deal to resolve Emirates, Etihad subsidy claims

The United States and United Arab Emirates have signed a deal to resolve US claims that Gulf carriers have received unfair government subsidies, the US State Department said.
The voluntary agreement, which applies to Etihad and Emirates airline, is similar to a deal announced in January between the United States and Qatar in which Qatar agreed to release detailed financial information about state-owned Qatar Airways.
The UAE’s ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba, praised the deal.

Since 2015 the largest US carriers – Delta Air Lines Inc, American Airlines Group Inc and United Airlines – have urged the US government to challenge the conduct of the three major Middle Eastern carriers under “Open Skies” agreements. The US airlines have contended the Gulf carriers are being unfairly subsidised by their governments with more than $50bn in subsidies over the last decade.
Qatar, Etihad Airways and Emirates, have denied those accusations. The Gulf airlines operate around 200 flights per week to 12 US cities.-ME website