Etihad Airways has urged the European Commission (EC) to put airline passengers first in its strategic rethink of aviation policy to produce a “bold, exciting and world-leading” industry.
The call came in a detailed response by the Abu Dhabi carrier to a European request for evidence as part of the public consultation process for its strategic aviation package, to be implemented by the end of this year.
The Etihad submission “advocates a policy which actively facilitates competition and consumer choice, addresses critical shortfalls in aviation infrastructure and eases restrictions on market access and investments by non-European airlines”, the airline said in a statement.
It contains a nine-point plan to reform the European continental industry, which some experts have labelled inefficient and anti-competitive. The plan urges the EU to promote an “open skies” policy similar to the American aviation industry’s original blueprint.
James Hogan, the chief executive of Etihad, said: "Aviation in 2015 is global, not local. By taking a strategic and holistic approach to aviation policy-making, the EC can deliver meaningful change, not just for Europe, but also for the benefit of air travellers and the airline industry worldwide, just as the US did with its visionary open skies policy."
The call by Etihad to the EC comes as big American and European airlines are lobbying their governments to restrict the expansion of Gulf carriers they accuse of using unfair government subsidy to distort market forces.
The airlines – Emirates and Qatar Airways in addition to Etihad – reject the charges levelled against them.
While the campaign by US carriers American, Delta and United has so far generated most of the controversy in the “open skies” dispute, Etihad’s dozens of European destinations and share stakes in five European airlines could be vulnerable to any protectionist moves by the EC.
Etihad estimates that its European business supports 17,000 jobs and benefited European economies through increased flights, connectivity, local expenditure and investment.
Mr Hogan said: “The EC has declared that it wants to revive Europe as an economic powerhouse, and a hub for jobs, for growth and for investment. Air transport is essential for such a promising agenda and for international trade.
“Etihad recognises the enormous growth achieved by liberalisation of intra-European airline operations, and urges the EC to now be the catalyst for global air transport reforms by easing restrictions on non-European airline access to member states and global investment in airlines domiciled within the European Union.
“Such liberalisation would align with the EC’s commitment to adopt policies which create investment, employment and economic confidence, while also providing access to new sources of capital via international investment,” he said.
The airline’s nine-point plan also calls for greater transparency, a holistic approach to security, removal of regulatory obstacles and infrastructure inefficiencies.
Separately, Etihad has signed a codeshare deal with Hong Kong Airlines on Hong Kong and Madrid routes.
Under the agreement, Hong Kong Airlines will place its HX flight code on Etihad Airways’ flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad started flying daily to Hong Kong from yesterday, offering 3,620 seats per week on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
fkane@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Sananda Sahoo
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