Dallas-Fort Worth executive says Gulf carriers support his region

His comments come as American airlines and their unions are trying to limit the activities of Gulf airlines in the United States.

John Ackerman, executive vice president of Global Strategy & Development at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, is photographed at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai on May 4, 2015. Sarah Dea / The National
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Arabian Gulf airlines generate “hundreds of millions of dollars” in annual economic benefit to north Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to a senior official at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

“We value the Emirates flights at about US$300 million in annual economic benefit, with its daily flights of the Airbus A380. Etihad is about $90m because it is coming three times per week with a Boeing 777,” said John Ackerman, the executive vice president for global strategy and development at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

“Qatar is coming daily with its Boeing 777, and the economic benefit for that flight is about $200m.

“Between these three, there is almost $600m of economic benefit for our region. They are very important to us,” said Mr Ackerman.

His comments come as American airlines and their unions are trying to limit the activities of Gulf airlines in the United States after tensions between the two escalated in recent months.

In January, a US industry group including Delta, United and American Airlines released a 55-page document detailing allegations of unfair government subsidies to Gulf carriers and other financial incentives that they claim were in breach of the open skies agreement between the two countries.

The US coalition is asking the government of the president, Barack Obama, to start consultations with Gulf countries over fair competition in relation to the open skies treaty. But not everyone is joining the show. Fed-Ex, Jet Blue and the US Travel Association say they have nothing to do with this, as they believe in the economic benefits they receive from the open skies agreement.

The Emirates president, Tim Clark, previously said his airline’s US operations generate more than $2.8 billion of estimated economic value annually for the airports in New York, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago.

Mr Ackerman echoed Mr Clark’s views by emphasising the importance of international service in creating jobs.

“We are 100 per cent in favour of open skies and we think it is very important for our airport and for the region.”

He also said also expressed his optimism about the two parties coming together and finding a solution.

“The US government has asked for comments and is gathering information now. We hope that the US governments and the Gulf governments and the carriers will sort this out.

“Air travel is so important for the world. It is important for our airport and for this region,” he added.

selgazzar@thenational.ae

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