OHIO 

CHAMBER 

ifCOMMERCE 

230 E. TOWN ST. 

COLUMBUS, OH 43215 

614 228-4201 

Vvvvvv.utiiOCHAMBER.COM 

Tom Zaino 

<·I:I.F 

LarryKidd 

. " Andrew E. Doehrel 

WE IRE 

ALL FOR 

OHIO. 

0~ . -~- -·• ~lONS: 

Alcoa 

American Electric Power 

The Andersons 

Anthem 

AT&T 

CareWorks 

CareWorksComp 

Chesapeake Energy 

Columbia Gas of Ohio 

Commercial Vehicle Group 

The Dayton Power and Light Company 

FirstEnergy Corp. 

Grange Insurance Companies 

Gulfport Energy Corporation 

Mercy Health 

Nationwide Insurance 

Northeast Ohio Medical University 

Plante Moran PLLC 

Squire Patton Boggs LLP 

The Strategy Group for Media 

Time Warner Cable 

Zaino Hall & Farrin 

s 10-150515-009 

May 8, 2015 

The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

US Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

The Honorable Penny Pritzker 

Secretary of Commerce 

US Department of Commerce 

1401 Constitution Ave., NW 

Washington, D.C. 20230 

The Honorable John F. Kerry 

Secretary of State 

US Department of State 

2201 C Street NW 

Washington, DC 20520 

Dear Secretary Foxx, Secretary Kerry and Secretary Pritzker, 

On behalf of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and our over 8,000 statewide 

business members we want to bring your attention to the market-distorting 

actions of the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that 

are undermining Open Skies policy. By opening consultations, which we urge 

you to do, with the two Gulf States, we can prevent further erosion of Open 

Skies and protect thousands of high quality U.S. jobs and our current economic 

recovery. 

In d.irect violation of Open Skies policy, since the early 2000's Qatar and the 

UAE have funneled at least $42 billion dollars' worth of subsidies and other 

massive handouts into three state-owned airlines. These carriers have taken 

advantage of a massively uneven playing field to drive their U.S. competitors 

out of international routes by dramatically expanding their fleets and lowering 

their fares to the point that they are actually losing money while they expand. 

If allowed to continue, this will lead to the disappearance of thousands of 

American jobs, not just in aviation, but in the many industries that support or 

are connected to air travel. In fact, airline industry experts estimate that every 

i[lternational roundtrip flight lost by a U.S. airline results in .a net loss of over 

800 well-paying joqs. 

The open Skies policy has brought innumer(!ble benefits to the state of Ohio 

and the U.S. economy as a whole. However, Qatar and the UAE and their three 

state-owned airlines are threatening the competitive environment created by 

the Open Ski~~ iJg~e~ments and the all he advantages that they bring to U.S. 

companies and consumers.' Therefore, we are requesting that tlie U.S. 

government open consultations with Qatar and the UAE so that this uneven 

playi~g field ca ~d,~r~?sed, and req uest a freeze o~ new capacity from the I . .• ' ' ·' " I ' ,_, ... , 

Guff carriers 'while the negotiations go forward. . . . . 

Sincerely, 

~ Andrew E. Doehre_l, President & CEO 

Ohio chamber of Commerce 
OHIO 

CHAMBER 

OF CO MM ERCE 

UNITING BUSINESS. IMPROVING OHIO. 

P.O. BOX 15159 

COLUMBUS, OH 43215-0159 

s 10-150515-009 

COLUt·1BU5 OH 431 

08 M.AY 2015 F~~ 5 L 

The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

US Department of Tra nsportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

111•111'' I I 1111 II' I I I 111' II I JIII/I •I I 1111/'I'''IJJI'I'·h '111 1

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