April 20, 2015 

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 

Dear Secretary Foxx and Secretary Kerry: 

The New York City metro region is home to the largest airport system in the United States with LaGuardia, JFK 

International and Newark Liberty International as the anchors. Combined, these airports are the second 

busiest in the world for passenger traffic and number one for total flight operations. 

All three airports are operated by the Port Authorities of New York and New Jersey. Between the three airports, 

the two port authorities, the businesses, restaurants, hotels and transportation facilities, the number of jobs 

directly impacted throughout the metro New York region is enormous. This is exactly why we are concerned 

about news reports that Gulf carriers - Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline - are being 

significantly subsidized by the countries of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These subsidies which 

total more than $40 billion will certainly impact U.S. carriers flying in and out of New York and New Jersey and 

it will limit their ability to compete effectively with global carriers. 

What is at stake? American jobs. Airline workers, vendors and contractors affiliated with the airlines and 

workers in the service industry will be impacted first if our domestic carriers ultimately lose out to these 

heavily-subsidized Gulf competitors. 

As head of the largest community based immigrant organization in New York State, Make the Road New York 

(MRNY), we are deeply concerned that many of our 16,000 members will be adversely impacted if the U.S. 

carriers are forced to reduce flights and operations as a result of Qatar and UAE violating the spirit of the Open 

Skies agreements. 

The ripple effect to immigrant communities in New York and New Jersey will be financially devastating to hard 

working families - many of whom live paycheck to paycheck. 

BROOKLYN 

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QUEENS 

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OADNY.ORG 

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LONG ISLAND 

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We urge you to act quickly and call to open consultations with Qatar and the UAE to resolve this situation, 

protecting the U.S. airline industry from harm as well as the millions of workers who depend on it for their 

livelihood. 

Sincerely, 

Deborah Axt and Javier Valdes 

Co-Executive Directors 

Make the Road New York 

cc: 

Senator Chuck Schumer 

Senator Kirstin Gillibrand 

Rep. Joseph Crowley 

Rep. Gregory Meeks 

Rep. Grace Meng 

Rep. Jerrold Nadler 

Rep. Jose Serrano 

Rep. Steve Israel 

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney 

Rep. Eliot Engel 

Governor Andrew Cuomo 

Mayor Bill de Blasia 

s 10-150428-024