The CEO of Qatar Airways had some colorful words for his American rivals in a press conference to announce several new routes and other service improvements in New York, Mashable reported Wednesday.
A Qatar Airways Airbus A350 jet. Courtesy: Qatar Airways
The harshest words appear to have been reserved for the CEO of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, who has been critical of Gulf carriers for being subsidized by their governments.
That hasn’t sat well with Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker.
The tension between Gulf carriers — including Qatar, Emirates and Etihad — and U.S. carriers — notably Delta, United and American — has been building for some time, and Al Baker took the topic head on in the press conference on Wednesday.
Speaking of Delta CEO Richard Anderson specifically, Al Baker said that his criticisms of Gulf carriers as "governments" were "nonsense," with the goal of stifling the competition "so he can swindle American passengers even more."
"Let him come face to face with me in any forum," Al Baker said of Anderson. "I will hang him on a wall."
Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson.
During the press conference, Al Baker announced, among other things, new service next year to Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution attempted to reach Delta representatives, but an after-hours page was not immediately returned.
To see more on Qatar's plans and what the company's CEO had to say, click here.
