Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have been notified by American Airlines that it’s going to withdraw the codeshare agreement quoting its resentment as to the illegal subsidies received by these airlines from the respective governments detrimental to the policy of equal opportunities.
The dispute was articulated in 2015 by American, United and Delta Airlines to the then President Barak Obama requesting for modification or end of the open skies trade agreements. Now the complaint has been taken to the Trump administration.
American Airline has stated that the termination of the codeshare pacts would not affect it financially.
Etihad Airways has expressed “disappointment” in American Airways’ decision, calling it “anti-competitive and anti-consumer.” In code-sharing, airlines sell tickets on each other’s flights and share revenue.
An Etihad spokeswoman said that codeshare deal allows customers of both airlines to buy connecting flights on one ticket to much convenience and the passengers would be losers.