European airlines take steps to protect their patch
European airlines are joining forces in an effort to thwart the global expansion of rivals from the Arabian Gulf amid a rising tide of protectionism in the industry, reports The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi.
Air France’s chief executive, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, took the vanguard in a public attack against Emirates, Etihad and other Gulf-based airlines.
"Europe is at the crossroads of international air travel, and this is a role we need to value and defend," Gourgeon told Bloomberg.
"What we’re telling the authorities is that we need a strategy that gives us a chance to resist."
Air France and other European airlines are lobbying their governments to put an end to export credit rules that benefit Middle Eastern airlines, citing the competitive threat posed by the likes of Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.
The complaints come as airlines have sought to limit the expansion of the three carriers by other means, primarily by asking their governments to oppose additional landing slots.
Executives from Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa will attend a meeting of the Association of European Airlines in the coming days to discuss a joint push with US rivals for a change to the export-guarantee regime, said Christian de Barrin, a spokesman of the Brussels-based industry group.
Ian Jarrett
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