Washington, DC - The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached an understanding related to the United States–UAE Open Skies agreement that will benefit pilots, flight attendants, machinists, and other working men and women in America’s airline industry. In the newly negotiated understanding, it was recognized that government subsidies undermine healthy and fair competition. 

The UAE has committed to financial transparency and will adhere to internationally-recognized accounting, disclosure, compliance, and auditing standards to make its practices more open and subject to public view and scrutiny. Lastly, the UAE informed the United States that its air carriers have no current plans to begin any new commercial “Fifth Freedom” flight routes, which are of particular concern to the U.S. carriers. The understanding mirrors the one made with Qatar earlier this year.

This understanding was the result of a White House task force co-led by the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy and the National Economic Council, and including representatives from the Department of State and the Department of Transportation and other key Federal agencies.

With this understanding, President Donald J. Trump has again shown his commitment to American jobs and American companies.