US, UAE ‘near deal’ to solve airline spat

The US and the UAE are nearing a deal to resolve a years-old spat over alleged government subsidies to Emirati airlines that the major US airlines claim have tilted the competition against them, four individuals familiar with the negotiations said. Under the budding deal, Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways would agree to voluntarily open up their accounting books, long accused by the US airlines of obscuring billions in subsidies. The airlines will also assert to the US that they currently have no plans to add additional flights to the US from Europe or other destinations outside of the UAE. The deal will closely mirror one reached in January between the US and Qatar, the individuals said. The individuals weren’t authorised to discuss the deal ahead of its completion and requested anonymity. Although the deal has yet to be finalised and formally adopted, both sides have agreed to the broad outlines of the deal, the individuals said. The State Department said “discussions are ongoing” but declined to confirm the details of the emerging deal, adding that there was “nothing to report at this time.” <br/>