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Qatar Airways: Investment in Air Italy fully compliant with US-Qatar Open Skies Agreement

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Following recent false accusations relating to Qatar Airways’ shareholding in Air Italy, such baseless statements and consistent inaccuracies need addressing as a matter of urgency.


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Qatar Airways holds a 49 percent stake in Air Italy’s parent company, AQA. This minority investment is at the same level that Delta holds in both Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, and that Etihad held in Alitalia.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy, and operations to the United States, are fully compliant with the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement, the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings, and a side letter that accompanied the discussions.

Unfounded claims that Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy violates the Understandings are entirely false.

As a factual matter, the investment preceded the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings.

· The investment was announced in a July 2016 press release and was approved in writing by the European Commission (DG Competition) in March 2017.

· The transaction was closed in September 2017.

· The discussions surrounding the Understandings took place in December 2017 and January 2018.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy was a matter of public knowledge (as were Qatar Airways’ investments in other airlines) at the time of the U.S.-Qatar discussions; airline investments were not raised as a point of concern during those talks. The Understandings do not mention or prohibit cross-border investments of any type.

Furthermore, Qatar Airways does not codeshare on any of Air Italy’s flights to the United States, and has no plans to do so. Qatar Airways is not operating any Fifth Freedom scheduled air services to the U.S.

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The “Big 3” U.S. carriers have consistently demonstrated their hostility to new entrants into the U.S.-Europe market, and their attacks on Air Italy based on the identity of its minority shareholder are just another manifestation of this hostility. Air Italy, the carrier the “Big 3” cite as a major “threat” to their survival, has a fleet of just 15 aircraft and only serves one U.S. city – New York – with a daily service while other routes, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco are operated at a lower frequency.

The U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement has brought enormous benefits to U.S. and Qatari consumers, businesses and communities. Qatar Airways’ services to the United States contribute to U.S. tourism and business. Qatar Airways is a long-term and loyal customer of Boeing, Gulfstream and General Electric, helping to secure tens of thousands of U.S. jobs through our continued investment in their products and is a valued partner to many other U.S. businesses.

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security McAleenan appointment: U.S. Travel Association issues statement

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U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the announced appointment of Kevin K. McAleenan as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security:

“In Mr. McAleenan we have an ally with a full and complete understanding of both national security and the importance of facilitating cross-border trade, which includes travel.

“U.S. Travel has had the pleasure of engagement with Mr. McAleenan for over a decade, given his immediate past roles with Customs and Border Protection. The American travel community’s experience with Mr. McAleenan gives us every confidence that he is the right choice to lead DHS through these challenging times.

“On behalf of America’s travel industry, I look forward to a continued positive relationship with Mr. McAleenan and DHS, and look forward to seeing this critically important role filled on a long-term basis.”

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Global Tourism Resilience Centre Board of Governors announces 2019 projects

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Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett joins Board Members and associates of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) after their second meeting, which was held in Berlin, Germany on March 08, 2019. The team discussed their major projects for 2019

Board Members and associates of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) had their second meeting, in Berlin, Germany today to discuss their major projects, which will be completed this year.

Speaking at the board meeting, Tourism Minister and Chairman of the Center, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said, “I am very happy to announce that we are ahead of schedule for many of the plans that we have for the establishment and operations of this very important global institution. Our partners have been very active in securing important potential investors, as well as in the development of our key initiatives.
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett greets Chairman pro-tem of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, Dr Taleb Rifai

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The major 2019 projects include the appointment of the Professorial Chair in Resilience and Innovation at University of the West Indies (UWI); the development of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Tool-Kit; and the development of the Global Tourism Resilience Measurement Framework for Global Tourism Resilience Readiness. They also intend to develop an appropriate Global Indices for Tourism Resilience Readiness, as well as the official GTRCMC Academic Journal.

The Center, with the assistance from East Park Drive and partners, has also engaged several potential investors to fund other projects. Some of these include the Tourism Seismic Readiness Study of International Airports across the Caribbean; Tourism Climate Resilience Awareness Campaign for Small and Medium Size in Small Island Developing States (SIDS); and the Tourism Health and Wellness Audit among SIDS.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) was launched on January 30, 2019 at the Montego Bay Convention Center and is housed at the UWI.

The focus of the Center includes: Risk Assessment, Mapping and Planning; Cyberspace Policy and Counter-Terrorism; Resilience-Related Research Collaborations; Development of Innovation Systems; Coordinating resilience policies with the government, Resource Mobilization, Capacity Building and Cross-Border Intelligence-sharing.

It will also provide research fellowship opportunities for individuals seeking to either expand their knowledge or, gain experience in tourism resilience and crisis management, through postdoctoral research, and internships for undergraduate and graduate students in fields of study related to tourism resilience and crisis management.

The first Board meeting was held on November 4, 2018 at the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel in London, UK. The Board discussed among other things: the thematic focus of the Centre; the location of the Center and, possible satellites in the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East as well as Oceania.

Minister Bartlett was accompanied by Dr. Lloyd Waller, Senior Advisor/Consultant and Gis’elle Jones, Research and Risk Management in the Tourism Enhancement Fund, who acted as secretary for the Board of Governors Meeting on the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center. eTN Corporation President Juergen Steinmetz also attended the board meeting.

The team is expected to return to the island on March 09, 2019.