October 2018 - Americans for Fair Skies

Qatar Airways Launches A350-1000 Service Between New York JFK and Doha

October 30, 2018 News No comments

Qatar Airways, the launch customer of the Airbus A350-1000XWB aircraft, has just flown the state-of-the-art jet on its first regularly scheduled route between Doha and New York JFK. The A350-1000 aircraft has since replaced the Boeing 777-300ER on Qatar Airways’ second daily departure. For those who do not already know, Qatar Airways flies twice daily between Doha and New York JFK; the carrier operates the older A350-900 aircraft on the other scheduled flight between Doha and New York JFK.

The carrier’s A350-1000 aircraft can accommodate a total of 327 passengers; 281 in Economy and 46 in Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite Business Class Cabin. Economy seats are arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration while every other row in Business Class offers seats that can be transformed into a connecting fully lie-flat double bed – perfect for couples and family members traveling together.

Qatar Airways’ Qsuite Business Class product has been recognized at the 2018 Skytrax World Airline Awards and 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for being the World’s Best Business Class.

Although the Boeing 777-300ERs that operated the Doha-New York JFK route also offered customers Qsuite Business Class seats, the ones available on the new A350-1000 aircraft come packed with increased amenities as well as newer, more passenger-friendly technology.

Qatar Airways also uses the A350-1000 aircraft for nonstop flights connecting Doha and London. The airline has plans to deploy the A350-1000 jet on routes from Doha to Singapore as well as Frankfurt.

At the moment, Qatar Airways has just four of the A350-1000 plane variants in its fleet. The airline has recently upgraded five of its current A350-900 orders for the bigger, newer A350-1000 variant. The airline has stated the state-of-the-art A350-1000 aircraft is a welcome addition to its fleet. Besides their stellar performance, passengers have been incredibly pleased with the new generation aircraft’s unprecedented levels of comfort and technology.

The aircraft offers advanced air conditioning technology, advanced air system technology that promises optimal cabin air quality, full LED ambient mood lighting, lower cabin pressure, the lowest twin-engine noise level of any aircraft, lower fuel burn, larger overhead bins, generous legroom and more.

Originally Published on Get.com.

Hudson Institute Releases New Study on State Subsidies and Unfair Competition in Global Commercial Aviation

October 26, 2018 News, Trade Cheating, US Economy No comments

Hudson Institute released a new study, “Subsidies and Unfair Competition in Global Commercial Aviation: How to Respond,” authored by Hudson senior fellow Thomas Duesterberg. The report assesses the commercial airline industry’s “Open Skies” framework and the impact of violations and distortions by state-subsidized international carriers. The findings demonstrate that Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and other airlines are leveraging major government subsidies to rapidly expand their share of the global passenger aviation market. To address the violation of bilateral air transport agreements and the loss of market share from U.S. carriers, the report advises that the U.S. should enforce the transparency requirements of the 2018 supplemental agreements with Qatar and the UAE. Additionally, the U.S. should work with allies on ways to check new subsidized services from Gulf carriers and growing subsidized competition from China.

“Fair competition underpins the success of commercial aviation as an economic driver in the U.S. and abroad,” said Ken Weinstein, President and CEO of Hudson Institute. “This new report highlights important steps toward ensuring that airlines relying on subsidies from foreign governments do not undermine this key American industry.”

Key takeaways from the report include:

- $48 billion in total cash or in-kind subsidies by the Gulf states have allowed the Gulf airlines to achieve a ten-fold increase in daily passenger seats since 2001 and capture significant market share in international travel from U.S., European, and Australian airlines.
- Qatar Airlines is violating the spirit of the supplemental agreements by purchasing the small Italian carrier Meridiana (rebranded as “Air Italy”), enlarging its fleet size by 500%, and establishing U.S. routes from third-country stopover destinations.
- Gulf airlines have exploited government subsidized service and government-funded upgrades to their hubs to grow their market share for U.S.-India passenger travel from 8 percent in 2008 to 46 percent in 2016.
- China’s growing air transport market is benefitting from state subsidies, including tight capacity limits and direct subsidies from local Chinese government agencies. While operating largely outside the Open Skies framework, China should be considered a possible future partner in trade agreements covering commercial airline services.

The report was authored by Thomas Duesterberg, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He has previously served as the assistance secretary for international economic policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce. More recently, he was the President and CEO of the Manufacturers Alliance. He also served in senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. He is the co-author of “U.S. Manufacturing: The Engine of Growth in a Global Economy,” a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. manufacturing sector’s impact on the economy.

Please contact Hudson Institute Press Secretary Carolyn Stewart, [email protected] and (202) 974-6456 for media inquiries. The full report, “Subsidies and Unfair Competition in Global Commercial Aviation: How to Respond” can be accessed here: https://www.hudson.org/research/14641-subsidies-and-unfair-competition-in-global-commercial-aviation-how-to-respond.

Originally Published on Hudson Institute.

Brooklyn Nets seal landmark Qatar Airways deal

October 18, 2018 News No comments

The Brooklyn Nets have become the first National Basketball Association (NBA) team to sign a major partnership with Qatar Airways

The multi-year deal sees the Qatari flag carrier become the franchise’s official global airline partner of the franchise and its Barclays Center stadium in New York. Qatar Airways will benefit from huge exposure in the US, with the Barclays Center Courtside Club being rebranded as the Qatar Airways Club.

The arrangement with the venue is doubly significant, with the arena also hosting a wealth of high-profile concerts and entertainment acts on top of its commitment to the Nets.

Brett Yormark, chief executive of BSE Global, the Brooklyn team’s management company, added: “We are thrilled to be the first NBA team and venue to welcome Qatar Airways as an official partner.

“It has been an ongoing priority of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center to expand our reach globally, and Qatar Airways helps us bring brand awareness to a dynamic new audience.”

Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker added: “This new partnership will provide Qatar Airways with maximum exposure to the rest of the world, echoing our belief in bringing people together. We are proud to be able to bring spectators from around the world to New York, and we look forward to celebrating together at Barclays Center.”

JetBlue, Qatar Airways’ codeshare partner, will continue as the official domestic airline partner of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center.

The Nets become the latest major global sporting name to align themselves with the airline, following soccer clubs Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors and Roma.

In May 2017, Qatar Airways also announced a deal with Fifa, which sees the airline become the official partner and official airline of soccer’s global governing body until 2022, when Qatar will host the Fifa World Cup.

Originally Published on SportsPro.

Emirates gets approval to codeshare cargo services with Alaskan Airlines

October 8, 2018 News No comments

The US Department of Transportation has approved Emirates’ application for a blanket statement of authorisation to codeshare with Alaska Airlines for an indefinite period.

The approval relates to cargo services operated by Emirates from the UAE, via the UAE and intermediate points to points in the US and beyond, as well as between the US and any points.

It an extension of the passenger codeshare agreement that Emirates Airlines signed with Alaskan Airlines in 2015, giving customers the simplicity of purchasing 300 daily Alaska Airlines connecting flights using one reservation, and a seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage check experience during the entire journey.

That simplicity will now be available to freight forwarders as well.

Alaskan Airlines operates a fleet of 320 aircraft, the majority of them Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. It’s air freight capacity is primarily in bellyhold as there are just three Boeing 737 freighter aircraft.

In June this year, Alaskan Airlines merged with Virgin America, expanding its air cargo capacity in bellyhold by 40%.

“Our goal is to create a hassle-free experience for our cargo customer and with additional capacity, we are delivering on that commitment,” said Jason Berry, managing director for Alaska Air Cargo.

“With our increased transcontinental connections originating across the west coast, we will be offering more frequency and reliability. Whether you are in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco or New York, you can count on Alaska Air Cargo to deliver.”

In addition to increased belly load capacity, Alaska Air Cargo recently upgraded their fleet to include three 737-700 retrofitted freighter aircraft. With the addition of a dedicated all-freighter fleet, Alaska Air Cargo provides reliable scheduled and drop-in service for 19 communities across Alaska; connecting them to the cargo hub in Seattle.

Originally Published on Arabian Industry.