EU lawmakers act to address 'unfair' airline competition rules

Non-EU carriers could see their rights to fly in the bloc revoked if they or their home countries engage in “unfair” competitive practices under rules voted on by a European Parliament committee on Tuesday. Some EU airlines, notably Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, have long complained about what they see as unfair competition from carriers such as those in the Gulf region - Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways - whom they accuse of receiving illegal state subsidies. The three airlines have vehemently denied such claims. While the rules passed by members of the European Parliament’s transport committee on Tuesday are not the final version of the law, they represent a hardening of the original EC proposal. “The pressure from highly subsidized third country carriers is increasingly noticeable. It potentially undermines a level playing field in the market, at the expense of European airlines,” said Markus Pieper, the EU lawmaker who is steering the legislation through the European parliament. The proposal would allow EU governments and airlines to submit complaints to the European Commission about alleged discriminatory practices they face in non-EU countries or illegal subsidies benefiting non-EU airlines.<br/>