AP sources: US, Emirates near deal to solve air subsidy spat

AP sources: US, Emirates near deal to solve air subsidy spat:

"The United States and the United Arab Emirates are nearing a deal to resolve a years-old spat over alleged government subsidies to Emirati airlines that the major U.S. airlines claim have tilted the competition against them, four individuals familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Under the budding deal, Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways would agree to voluntarily open up their accounting books, long accused by the U.S. airlines of obscuring billions in subsidies. The airlines will also assert to the United States that they currently have no plans to add additional flights to the United States from Europe or other destinations outside of the United Arab Emirates. The deal will closely mirror one reached in January between the U.S. and Qatar, the individuals said. Despite years of rancorous debate, that deal was broadly embraced both by the Qataris and by the big U.S. airlines, making it an attractive model to replicate. The individuals weren’t authorized to discuss the deal ahead of its completion and requested anonymity."



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