US airlines seeking to curb the growth of Arabian Gulf rivals could discover today whether Donald Trump’s aviation policy is about protectionism or pragmatism.
While the pre-election America First rhetoric of the new president may have given encouragement to the big three legacy airlines – Delta, United and American – it did not spell out where he really stood in the long-running and often acrimonious Open Skies feud.
The trio claim that their Gulf counterparts benefit from illegal subsidies that run into billions of dollars – an allegation that has been denied by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. Both sides have spent heavily on lobbying. The chief executives of the major US carriers are today expected to meet Mr Trump in what the White House described as a “listening session”. It follows similar meetings with the chiefs of the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors.
Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, last year described the “America first” rhetoric of Mr Trump as “bluster and growl”. It may turn out to be just that.
“He has got to make the right noises to keep both sides happy but I would be very surprised if Trump acted against the Gulf carriers,” said Peter Harbison, the Sydney-based executive chairman of Capa – Centre for Aviation.
Comments on Tuesday by Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, in defence of the US expansion of Norwegian Air International, were far from protectionist in tone. That may not be an encouraging sign for the legacy US airlines.
More than 100 members of congress had in December written to Mr Trump to ask him to cancel permission by former president Barack Obama for the airline to run low-cost transatlantic flights, some of them from Ireland.
Mr Spicer said on Tuesday that the US had “huge economic interest” in the deal.
Welcoming the positive effect of the Norwegian carrier on the US economy while at the same time taking an opposing stance against the Gulf carriers would appear inconsistent, according to Mr Harbison, a veteran aviation industry commentator.
He sees the comments of the press secretary ahead of tomorrow’s meeting as being “highly instructive”.
Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The war of words between the big three US carriers and their regional counterparts that had raged for two years was starting to fizzle out by early last year.
But the surprise election of Mr Trump with an America First economic agenda was regarded by the big US carriers as an unexpected opportunity to revive the dispute by enlisting the support of a new president who had risen to power on a ticket of protecting American jobs.
Ed Bastian, the chief executive of Delta Airlines, in December urged the new president to let the US airlines be the “poster child” for enforcing Open Skies rules.
“We are facing Middle Eastern carriers that are violating the law,” he said.
The US airline lobby did not waste any time reinforcing that argument to Elaine Chao when she was confirmed as secretary of transportation on January 31.
On the same day, the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, which represents the big three US carriers as well as a number of crew organisations, wrote to her to request her support in protecting American jobs against “foreign interests”.
But not all US carriers are against the expansion of the Gulf airlines.
The chief executives of four US airlines this week also wrote to Ms Chao and Rex Tillerson, the new secretary of state.
“Regrettably, three large legacy US airlines – Delta, United and American – are making demands that would jeopardise Open Skies and reduce competition in an already overly concentrated US airline market,” said the letter from the chief executives of Atlas Air Worldwide, FedEx Corporation, JetBlue Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.
This week the more vocal airlines and unions who have been expecting the new president to be firmly in their corner may get the first meaningful sign if he really is.
scronin@thenational.ae
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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And%20Just%20Like%20That...
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Vikram%20Vedha
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Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
Company%20Profile
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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ELECTION%20RESULTS
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE) 68 72 69 67 - 4-under
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
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The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.