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Qatar Reveals it Could Exit Oneworld Alliance

Qatar Airways might soon be exiting the Oneworld Alliance, Travel Market Report has revealed. Speaking at a recent news conference in New York, Akbar Al Baker offered his comments on the deteriorating relationship between the Gulf airline and U.S. legacy carriers – and most, specifically, American.

Qatar Airways might soon exit the Oneworld AllianceTravel Market Report reveals. Speaking at a news conference in New York, the carrier’s CEO, Akbar Al Baker was quoted as saying that the deteriorating relationship between Qatar and American Airlines as well as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines is bringing about a “bad feeling.”

Qatar – along with Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad – has been the subject of a long-running dispute by U.S. legacy carriers, who have alleged that these Middle East airlines are benefiting from state subsidies that give them an unfair competitive advantage.

However, these Gulf carriers have protested against these claims and in an attempt to mitigate them, the outlet reports that these airlines have publicly revealed their financials and also agreed to curb their expansion within the American market.

This, however, appears not to have helped bring hostilities to a close. The outlet reports that American has gone so far as to end its code-sharing arrangements with both Etihad and Qatar. American is quoted by the outlet as saying that these code-sharing arrangements “no longer make sense for us.”

For his part, Al Baker appears to believe that American’s actions are at odds with any kind of partnership. “If we are constantly being targeted by our U.S. partner, then why should we bother with an alliance?” he is quoted as asking.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Oneworld Alliance was quoted as saying that the current relationship between American Airlines and Qatar was down to a “difference of opinion,” something that it hopes “can be resolved quickly.”

[Photo: Shutterstock]

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3 Comments
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djjaguar64 October 28, 2018

Qatar Airlines should not belong in the OW alliance, its a much better and classy airline, on the other hand AA is a degenerate airline. So come on QR you can well on your own as a 5 star airline.

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Richard Street October 27, 2018

I'd rather see American leave OO than Qatar personally. The difference in both product and service very much favours Qatar.

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dvs7310 October 27, 2018

Lots of Smoke coming out Mr Al Baker's rear. OneWorld is a lot bigger than just AA. There are also plenty of relationships in Star Alliance that aren't exactly cozy, Skyteam as well. I'd be surprised if they just outright leave, maybe it's an angle to get into Star Alliance which is what they actually wanted from the beginning.