It has been three years since leading European airlines had a heated confrontation with their Gulf counterparts. The confrontation was led by some European and Canadian airlines along with Qantas against UAE and Qatari airlines after accusing them of undercutting prices, thanks to the support they receive from their governments. These European companies are now calling for cooperation with airlines in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — a move that reflects a new practical approach.
This campaign reached its culmination after a German official said that “the GCC countries only know how to use the oil money in setting up airlines in the desert”. It seems that the German official never visited any GCC country to see modern cities that are on par with European cities in all aspects. However, the official apologised later for his statement, which demonstrates Western companies’ dissatisfaction with the success achieved by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways on the global level.
The new approach by Qantas, which was once the most critical about GCC carriers, is aiming at cooperating with Emirates through establishing an alliance with the airline.
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