Dubai: Emirates Airlines has reduced fares for flights from the UAE to a number of destinations in the United States.
Starting January 25 until February 3, passengers who book flights for 12 destinations, including New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle can avail themselves of return tickets priced as low as Dh3,660. The special fares are valid for trips until November 30 this year.
The UAE-based carrier announced the promotion on Wednesday, on the heels of an ongoing dispute with American rivals over open skies.
Only this week, the airline launched a new daily service from Dubai to Newark Liberty International Airport in the US, via Athens in Greece, which will start on March 12, 2017. The new route has reignited a row over whether or not the airline is unfairly competing with US carriers.
The US airlines’ lobbying group, Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, had openly criticised Emirates over the launch, citing that it is “flagrantly violating” its Open Skies agreement with the United States. “Emirates is throwing down the gauntlet,” said Jill Zuckman, chief spokesperson for the group.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the group said it has documented over $50 billion in government subsidies received by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.
“The subsidies harm the US aviation industry and hard-working Americans. In fact, for every international flight that US airlines are forced to close due to subsidy-fueled Gulf carrier expansion, economists estimate that over 1,500 American jobs are lost.
Emirates operates 17 daily flights on the US route. It said that its partnerships with Alaskan Airlines and JetBlue also open up more flexibility and seamless connections to a host of destinations within North America, including popular Caribbean destinations.
The latest special fares include Economy class return ticket to New York at Dh3,560; Fort Lauderdale at Dh3,660; Chicago and Washington DC from Dh4,060; Boston, Dallas and Houston from Dh4,260; Toronto from Dh4,650; Los Angeles from Dh4,760; Orlando from Dh4,860 and San Francisco and Seattle from Dh5,160.
Business Class flyers can also book tickets for as low as Dh17,110.