American Airlines has ended its codeshare relationships with
both Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. "Given the
extremely strong public stance that American has taken on the [Gulf
carriers] issue, we have reached the conclusion that the codesharing
relationships … no longer make sense for us," American said.
Since American informed the two carriers of its decision on
June 29, the long-brewing dispute between the U.S. legacy carriers and the Gulf
carriers has reached another boiling point, spurred in part by Qatar Airways
CEO Akbar Al Baker referring to U.S. flight attendants as "grandmothers."
He later apologized. This week, Politico also cited three anonymous
administration officials that President Donald Trump is mulling changes to the
U.S.'s Open Skies agreements with both Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
However, no decision is imminent, according to Politico.
An Etihad spokesman called American's decision "anticompetitive
and anticonsumer," adding: "We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial
codeshare relationship since 2009 that has provided passengers flying to and
from the United States with more and better flight options to points in the
Middle East, Indian subcontinent and other destinations that historically have
not been served by U.S. airlines. The action will reduce choice for consumers
and may result in higher fares for travelers."
Meanwhile, American's move has not deterred Qatar Airways
from its plans to take a
10 percent stake in American Airlines via public stock purchase. On July 12,
the carrier submitted a revised antitrust filing to U.S regulators for the
acquisition, according to Reuters.
The
Gulf carriers are not the only relationship American is revising. This month, the
carrier also announced that as of Jan. 1, it and Alaska Airlines will scale
back reciprocal benefits of their loyalty programs. Each carrier no longer will
offer elite-level benefits—priority boarding and bag fee waivers, for
example—to members of the other's program. Loyalty members of one airline will
earn mileage on the other's flights only when the first airline markets the
flight and bears the code, although Alaska Mileage Plan members still will earn
miles on all American international flights.