Delta Air Lines is cutting back its Atlanta-Dubai flights from daily service to fewer days per week starting Oct. 1.
Atlanta-based Delta will reduce flights on the route to four to five days per week for the slower winter season. Delta launched the route in May 2007 with service five times weekly, and first increased to daily service in 2008.
The airline said it is now cutting back the Dubai flights amid “overcapacity” on U.S. routes to the Middle East by Gulf carriers. The move comes as Delta argues that Gulf carriers Emirates, Qatar and Etihad airlines are government-subsidized.
“Delta, along with American and United, have asked the U.S. government to open consultation with Qatar and the UAE to address the issue of $42 billion in government subsidies to the Gulf carriers, which violate the Open Skies agreements between the U.S. and those nations,” Delta said in a written statement.
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