The agreement will see state-owned Qatar Airways agree voluntarily to open up its accounting books, the individuals said. The three major U.S. carriers — Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines — have spent huge sums over the last three years pressing the Obama administration and Trump administration for tough action. Yet for Qatar, the agreement averts the more serious step U.S. airlines wanted: re-opening the so-called open-skies treaties that could lead to less favourable conditions for Persian Gulf airlines. There’s also no commitment Qatar Airways won’t expand its offering of Qatar-U.S. flights. The two UAE airlines — Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways — aren’t a party to the U.S.-Qatar agreement.

Source: National Post January 29, 2018 21:42 UTC