Dubai's Emirates shuns commercial airline alliances

Dubai’s Emirates shuns commercial airline alliances

Clark's remarks come during an ongoing dispute over access to flight routes and competition.

October 25, 2010 11:03 by Reuters

Emirates will not enter into any commercial alliances as they are harmful to competitiveness, the airline’s president said in remarks published on Monday.

Tim Clark said the airline preferred to work on its own as alliances could hurt the quality of its services, according to comments in Arabic language daily Al Bayan.

Emirates, the Middle East’s largest carrier, is not a part of global airline clubs such as the “oneworld” or Star Alliance.

Clark’s remarks come during an ongoing dispute over access to flight routes and competition.

The rapid expansion of Emirates — as well as Gulf majors Etihad of Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways — has unnerved older airlines and fuelled mutual accusations of protectionism. Many carriers fear Gulf-based superjumbos will drain their own hubs.

Earlier this month, Canada’s military lost access to a military camp near Dubai, which it used to support troops in Afghanistan, after Ottawa refused to allow Emirates and Etihad to increase flights to Canada.

(Reporting by Raissa Kasolowsky; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)