The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx Secretary of Transportation US Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave SE Washington, DC 20590 The Honorable John F. Kerry Secretary of State US Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 The Honorable Penny Pritzker US Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20230 

# M etro A tlanta**~ui hamber** **~** April 27, 2015

Dear Secretary Foxx, Secretary Kerry and Secretary Pritzker, I am writing to express my concern with the reported unfair practices of the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). U.S. Open Skies policy was enacted to ensure that there is fair competition between airline carriers operating internationally. The $42 billion the three Gulf carriers, Emirates, Qatar and Etihad airlines, have received in subsidies and unfair benefits have eliminated fair competition and have distorted the mar'<et. The Gulf airlines have been able to expand at an incredible rate and divert passenger traffic avoJay from the U.S. airlines. These actions, if left**unacj~ressed,** will result in U.S. airlines curtailing domestic and international flights and laying off of employees. As home to the busiest airport in the world, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), we cannot afford to turn a blind eye in this situation. There is too much at stake for our state and its residents. Hartsfield is one of the key economic drivers in Georgia and has a direct economic impact of about $32.5 billion on the Atlanta metro area economy
. In addition, Hartstleld serves as a hub to Delta Air Lines, who are the largest private employer in the state and employ more than 30,000 people in '·


## - Atlanta alone. · To remedy this issue. I ask you to initiate consultations with Qatar and the UAE and seek a freeze on new capacity from the Gu!f carriers to the U.S. while the consultations go forward. We need to restore open and fair skies so that the Atlanta Metro Area, and the rest of Georgia, can con tinue to thrive

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# M etro A tlanta**"'~ hamber** **~**

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