Iata needs to do more for aviation freedom, says Qatar Airways chief

Akbar Al Baker contested the stance taken by International Air Travel Association towards the issue of protectionism.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said that it was important for IATA to reiterate freedom of the aviation industry. Joe Skipper / Reuters

MIAMI // Qatar Airways’ chief executive Akbar Al Baker has criticised the stance taken by the International Air Travel Association (Iata) on the issue of protectionism, and urged the airlines’ association to do more for the “freedom of the aviation industry”.

Speaking at the association’s annual general meeting in Miami, Mr Al Baker said: “I’d like to reiterate once again in front of all the members our concern on the issue of protectionism coming from certain countries in the US and Europe.”

His remarks followed a speech by Tony Tyler, the director general and chief executive of Iata.

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“In your speech [Mr Tyler] you did not touch on this important issue. What you mentioned is that Iata doesn’t have a mandate to comment on these issues. It’s important that Iata reiterate the agenda approved by the AGM in 2008 for freedom of the aviation industry,” said Mr Al Baker.

“I don’t agree that we should not comment, because Iata was mandated by its members. It is important that Iata would re-access something that was agreed by members of this community in 2008.”

Three Arabian Gulf airlines – Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar airways – are locked in a dispute with their American counterparts and some European airlines over the issue of free competition. The US carriers, along with Lufthansa and France-KLM, are calling on their governments to reassess the bilateral air agreements with the UAE and Qatar because they claim that these countries provide subsidies to their national airlines distorting competition in the markets in which they operate. Gulf airlines refute such claims and call any limitations imposed on them to be a suppression to consumers' movement and the industry.

Asked to comment on Mr Al Baker’s remarks at a press conference afterwards, Mr Tyler said: “Iata and its members are fully in favour of growing liberalisation, free and fair competition that’s the policy of all our members and Iata.” Meanwhile, Douglas Parker, chairman and chief executive of American Airlines, explained that his airline’s codeshare agreements with Gulf carriers such as Etihad is a “working agreement” to allow their customers to fly to the Middle East and markets that the US airline does not serve.

He added that this is to be distinguished from the public policy issue that his airline represents with the US government to “enforce the trade laws”.

Mr Parker added that American Airlines has no plans to fly to Abu Dhabi or Doha.

Separately, Mr Al Baker told The National on the sidelines of the Iata conference that his company is considering taking a stake in the Italian carrier Meridiana.

“Meridiana has approached us and, yes, we would look into any business proposition that would fit into the strategy of Qatar Airways,” he said.

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