Qatar Airways still pursuing American Airlines stake after code share hitch

Qatar Airways said it will go ahead with plans to buy a stake in American Airlines even though the US carrier is ending their code-share agreement. American announced on Wednesday that it was cancelling code-share agreements with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways as "an extension of our stance against the illegal subsidies that these carriers receive from their governments." Both Middle East airlines deny they are state subsidized. American's decision to end the agreements which allow airlines to book passengers on each other's flights, ramps up an acrimonious dispute between US carriers and Gulf competitors over competitive advantages. Qatar Airways CE Akbar al-Baker said on Thursday he was disappointed by the decision, but it would not affect the Middle East carrier's plans to buy up to a 10% stake in American, announced last month. "Our stock purchase request and filing is going ahead as normal. We had to clarify certain questions of the regulator, which we compiled with," al-Baker said. Qatar Airways sent a revised antitrust filing to US regulators on Wednesday seeking clearance to buy up to a 10% stake in the carrier, according to the filing. Al-Baker said American's decision to end the code-share agreement was "not in the spirit of the one world alliance" and that Qatar Airways had other partners in the United States "who want to work with us." American said on Wednesday that cancelling code-sharing agreements with Qatar Airways and Etihad would not have a material financial impact for the US carrier.<br/>