Summary: Much has been written and said over the past 12 months about open skies, state ownership of airlines, subsidies and support, and the impact of Gulf carrier competition on the US and European aviation markets. The discussion kicked-off in the US in January 2015 with the US legacy carrier white paper accusing the three Gulf carriers of unfair state subsidies, and then has expanded into subway billboards, celebrity advertisements and a multi-department public consultation process and is now colouring some of the discussion on a new international aviation strategy for the EU. Rick will provide an Emirates perspective on open skies and competition and look at some of the factual and legal arguments underpinning the ongoing debate.
