Delta Air Lines has not flown to Dubai since February 2016, and American Airlines has never flown to the United Arab Emirates. Because of the growth in this region, it is peculiar that two of the biggest airlines in the United States (US) and the world have no service. And there is previous history to be discussed.
Old disagreements In 2015, the 'Big Three' airlines in the US, Delta, American, and United Airlines, came together to fight against the government subsidies that Gulf carriers were allegedly receiving. The American airlines claimed that Gulf carriers were being unfairly subsidized by their governments and that these subsidies amounted to more than $50 billion in one decade. But Gulf carriers denied these accusations.
At one point, former Delta CEO Richard Anderson even made comments that the governments of Qatar and the UAE had been involved in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. According to USA Today , the American carriers had prepared a 55-page document showing the Gulf carriers were receiving subsidies. The airlines hoped the American government would renegotiate the Open Skies Agreement in place with each Gulf nation.
In addition to requesting renegotiation, the US airlines asked that the government block any new routes from Qatar and the UAE until the conflict was resolved. Scott Kirby, United's current CEO, and then-President, said the following in 2017, "Our political system in the United States is messy and often frustrating, but the great thing .