Originally Posted by Dudster
I think you miss the point, which is that the airline is likely subsidized by other group companies (e.g. Dnata and Mercator) who are the beneficiaries of government spending (in what are likely not competitive bids) or forced subsidization by other airlines.
Complicated -- or not so complicated -- such types of arrangements are not something I'm unaware of. Furthermore, those kind of arrangements are not unique to EK.
I don't see what the complaint about EK is, one way or the other. Even if there was unprecedented subsidization, why should I care? If a foreign government want to subsidize global travel and such doesn't generate long-term anti-competitive outcomes, why should I not welcome the financial assistance? It's not like such an arrangement is perpetually sustainable. The Soviets tried it, and it failed.
