BA chief executive Willie Walsh believes the European Union is financing the expansion of Middle Eastern carriers, to the detriment of its home airlines.
Walsh told the European Aviation Club in Brussels that a US/Europe agreement that disallows credit guarantees to airlines based in the home countries of Boeing and Airbus while allowing export credits to the Middle East was tantamount to “funding the expansion of Emirates".
The agreement means neither BA, Air France-KLM nor Lufthansa can get help from the government to buy new planes.
He added: “We have been slow in the UK and in Europe to recognise the competitive threat.”
by Dinah Hatch
