The US government has no plans to take any formal action against Gulf carriers after holding informal talks with them this month, a spokesperson said.

The announcement was seen as a victory for Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways, who have been accused by the three largest American carriers of competing unfairly.

All three airlines have denied this charge, saying they do not receive state subsidies and are actually helping to create jobs for Americans.

The US government appears to agree.

According to the National, senior US state department spokeswoman Nicole Thompson said this week:

“(While) the US government takes seriously the concerns raised by our airlines, we also remain committed to our US Open Skies policy, which has greatly benefited the traveling public, the US aviation industry, American cities and the broader US economy through increased travel and trade and job growth.”

Rapid expansion

The announcement comes at a time when Qatar Airways is rapidly expanding into the American market.

The national carrier, which is owned by the government, now flies to 10 US cities, and is also eying a Doha-Las Vegas route.

The GCC airlines operate in the US market under an Open Skies agreement, which means the carriers themselves, not governments, decide on the frequency, capacity and fares of flights between countries.

Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines began lobbying their government for a change in this policy last year, but so far have not seen any success.

Thoughts?