May 14, 2018
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrea Christianson; achristianson@hamiltonps.com; (202) 617-3888
Statement on U.S.-UAE Open Skies Discussions
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Airlines for Open Skies coalition issued the following statement today after the official conclusion of technical discussions between the United States (U.S.) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE):
“This resolution is a clear victory for American workers, travelers, and exporters, and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Open Skies. We commend the Trump Administration for its thoughtful approach and unwavering commitment to resolve this matter in a way that fully protects the rights of each party under the agreement. Today’s announcement will allow all sectors of commercial aviation to grow stronger than ever and upholds America’s leading role in global aviation.”
Additional information:
- The UAE and Qatar announcements put an end to a years-long effort by the U.S. legacy carriers (Delta, United, and American) to reopen U.S. Open Skies agreements with both the UAE and Qatar, and their efforts to limit access to the United States for airlines based in Qatar and the UAE.
- These announcements do not in any way affect the rights enjoyed by U.S., UAE, and Qatar airlines under the respective Open Skies agreements, including the right to provide service between the parties with intermediate stops, known as Fifth Freedom service.
U.S. Airlines for Open Skies (USAOS) is a coalition of four U.S. passenger and cargo carriers – Atlas Air Worldwide, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, and JetBlue Airways – in support of the United States’ Open Skies agreements, which promote U.S. jobs and economic growth.