Release #: 17.28
June 23, 2017

Statement on Qatar Airways Bid to Purchase Percentage of American Airlines

WASHINGTON, D.C.––This week, American Airlines announced plans by Qatar Airways to purchase a 10 percent stake in the U.S. carrier. Representing the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president; Capt. Sam Pool, ALPA Envoy Air chairman; Capt. Travis Ricks, ALPA PSA chairman; and Capt. Bruce Freedman, ALPA Piedmont chairman, issued the following statement:

“ALPA strongly opposes the attempt by Qatar Airways to purchase a stake in American Airlines. This action is the latest attempt by the government-owned and subsidized airline to distort the market and create an unlevel playing field that puts U.S. carriers at a distinct disadvantage.

“The Middle East carriers—with the full financial backing of their governments—have proven time and time again that they will stop at nothing in their campaign to undermine fair trade and threaten American jobs. Now Qatar Airways is blatantly trying to buy its way into the U.S. market after years of violating the fair and equal opportunity to compete provision of the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies agreement.

“The reach of Qatar’s most recent government handout would extend throughout the entire American Airlines network and must be stopped. ALPA once again calls on the Trump administration to stand up for U.S. workers and demand that the Qatar government end these subsidies to restore fair competition for U.S. companies and safeguard U.S. workers’ jobs.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 57,000 pilots at 33 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org