AEA LAUNCHES ATTACK ON GULF CARRIERS

Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, secretary general of the Association of European Airlines (AEA), has hit out at gulf carriers and accused them of launching “pre-emptive strikes” against their European rivals. He said the Gulf carriers aren’t competing on a level playing field with European airlines because they have “no meaningful competition rules, no consumer-protection rules, as we have in Europe”. The comments were made in an open letter published by the CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, who addressed comments made by Schulte-Strathaus at the International Aviation Club in Washington concerning the rise of Gulf carriers. “The European airlines were pioneers