Emirates Airlines today announced it will launch a new daily service from Dubai to Newark Liberty International Airport, via the Greek capital city of Athens, starting on March 12, but with the Open Skies debate still unresolved, reaction was swift from the lobby group representing the three major U.S. carriers in American, Delta and United.
"By flagrantly violating its Open Skies agreement with the United States at the start of the Trump administration, Emirates is throwing down the gauntlet," said Jill Zuckman, chief spokesperson for the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies. "We look forward to working with President Trump and his team to enforce these agreements and protect American jobs-something that the Obama administration failed to do."
The Big Three U.S. carriers sent a 55-page report to the Obama administration in January of 2015, detailing alleged government subsidies received by Emirates, Etihad and Qatar airlines in the Middle East. The subsidies, the U.S. carriers say, alters the international travel marketplace.
The Partnership for Open & Fair Skies claims to have documented over $50 billion in government subsidies received by the Gulf airlines, which have denied the allegations and have called the monies loans that must be paid back.
The new route complements Emirates' existing four daily flights between Dubai and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport by offering another access point to the New York market.
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Emirates' new Dubai-Athens-Newark flight will also provide a year-round non-stop daily service between the United States and Greece-a service that does not exist today and has not existed since 2012.
The airline will operate a wide-body Boeing 777-300ER on the route, offering eight seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business and 304 seats in Economy class.
"The Greek Government and Athens International Airport approached Emirates some time ago to consider serving the route between Athens and New York," Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark said. "After careful review, Emirates concluded that extending one of our Dubai-Athens flights to Newark would be commercially and operationally feasible. We are pleased to be able to help meet a strong consumer need long neglected by other airlines, and we would like to thank the authorities and our partners in both the U.S. and Greece for their support of the new route."
The United States is home to the largest overseas Greek community in the world, numbering approximately 1.3 million, and the New York City metropolitan area has the largest community of Greek-Americans in the country.
Said Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic said: "Within the framework of our excellent cooperation, and in line with our common goal for the growth of tourism between our two countries as well as the expansion to long-haul markets, I would like to thank Emirates for having positively considered our request to launch a new Emirates itinerary connecting Dubai with New York via Athens all year round. This strategic choice substantially supports our efforts at the Ministry of Tourism to enhance the already increasing flow of visitors to Greece from the United States and the UAE on a yearly basis, travelling either for leisure or business purposes."
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