By David Shepardson and Alexander Cornwell
WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters) -United Airlines and Dubai’s Emirates are set to announce a codeshare agreement in the coming weeks, sources told Reuters.
United on Tuesday sent an invitation to reporters to a “special event” on Sept. 14 titled “Come fly with us” with Chief Executive Scott Kirby and Emirates President Tim Clark in Washington.
The Air Current reported the expected announcement earlier. United did not offer additional comment. An Emirates spokesperson confirmed the airlines will make “a joint announcement” on Sept. 14 in Washington, declining to elaborate.
After receiving government approvals, a codeshare would allow both airlines’ customers access to additional destinations that each do not currently serve. The agreement is likely to help United better compete for customers flying to the Gulf region.
In June, American Airlines and Qatar Airways said they were expanding a strategic alliance announced in early 2020 with a new codeshare agreement, expanding the agreement to 16 additional countries.
American said in June the deal would establish “American as the only U.S. carrier to serve the Gulf region, seamlessly connecting through Doha with Qatar Airways.”
Starting in 2015, the largest U.S. carriers argued their Gulf rivals were being unfairly subsidized by their governments, distorting competition and costing U.S. jobs – something the Gulf carriers adamantly denied.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
