Air France-KLM’s CEO is critical of upstarts Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways

Etihad Airways Airbus A330-243 A6-EYO (msn 852) CDG (Christian Volpati), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air France-KLM Group’s (Paris) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pierre-Henri Gourgeon is critical of the fast-growing upstarts Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways because of the alleged state aid they have received. This advantage is giving the traditional classic airlines in Europe an unfair playing field.

Read the full story in Bloomberg:

CLICK HERE

Like this:

Like Loading...

This entry was posted in Etihad Airways and tagged Etihad Airways on December 20, 2010 by Bruce Drum.

About Bruce Drum

I have started the ultimate digital photo library of the fascinating world of airliners and airlines. The goal is to have the complete history of all airlines and the various aircraft operated. I have been photographing airplanes since 1965. Join us in this adventure.

View all posts by Bruce Drum →

← TACA Peru adds the Embraer ERJ 190 on the Lima-Santiago route Boeing announces its second 777 production increase this year →

Email Address

Join 3,141 other subscribers

CrashPad411.com - CrashPads, Housing & Rentals

Proudly Serving 44,804 fellow in-flight crew members in 51 cities. With 4,097 temporary and short time, airline rentals, accomodations and CrashPad listings!
www.crashpad411.com

Airline News...

Air New Zealand will introduce its Economy Skynest in 2026, offering the first lie‑flat sleeping pods ever made available to Economy and Premium Economy passengers on any airline. The produc ...
United-American mega merger? Scott Kirby’s long‑standing view that the U.S. airline industry cannot sustain its current competitive structure, but the idea itself is almost certainly unworka ...
War and high fuel costs are not good for Spirit Airlines' recovery: Spirit Airlines is attempting to reinvent itself as a smaller, more premium‑focused carrier, but its reorganization plan f ...
Can it stay in business? Flybondi has entered one of the most serious labor and financial crises in its short history after failing to pay March 2026 salaries to its workforce. The delay bec ...
Condor’s partnership with TAROM and its simultaneous decision to withdraw from Abu Dhabi illustrate two very different forces shaping the airline’s strategy in 2026. On April 1, 2026, Condor ...

Air Calédonie entered one of the darkest periods in its history when it filed for bankruptcy on March 27, 2026, after nearly a month of being unable to operate any flights. The shutdown was ...
ITA Airways officially returned to London Heathrow Airport on March 29, 2026, restoring nonstop service to Rome's Fiumicino Airportwith two daily flights after a two‑year absence. The airlin ...
European low‑cost carriers are reacting differently. Ryanair, with one of Europe’s most aggressive hedging programs and a young 737 fleet, is likely to maintain most of its schedule while pu ...
Rising jet fuel prices in Europe have doubled within weeks, driven by supply disruptions linked to the Iran–Hormuz crisis and Europe’s heavy dependence on imported refined product. With seve ...
Delta Air Lines flight DL104, with the pictured Airbus A330‑323 registered as N813NW, was departing São Paulo–Guarulhos Airport for Atlanta on the night of March 29, 2026, when it suffered a ...

Emirates says it is only days away from restoring its full global network as airspace across the region continues to reopen. The airline has already rebuilt a large portion of its schedule a ...
The UAE’s activation of safe air corridors reflects a coordinated regional effort to restore controlled air traffic after several days of severe disruption. During a government media briefin ...
LOT Polish Airlines has begun introducing onboard Wi‑Fi across its long‑haul fleet, activating the service first on the pictured Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner SP‑LSA and planning to equip two addi ...
American Airlines remains one of the most exposed major carriers because it still flies older A319s, 737‑800s, and 777‑200ERs—types that burn significantly more fuel per seat than the newer ...
Which U.S. airlines are most at risk with rising fuel costs? The escalating conflict involving Iran is now directly reshaping aviation across the Persian Gulf, creating one of the most unsta ...

"Footnotes of Airline Histories" Part 1 (A - I) - Interesting events and stories

AdamAir emerged during the explosive growth phase of Indonesia’s low‑cost airline market in the early 2000s. The airline was established in 2003 as PT. Adam SkyConnection Airlines, wholly o ...
The history of Sri Lanka's national airline is a story of evolution, strategic partnerships, and resilience in a dynamic aviation landscape. It begins with the establishment of Air Lanka, ri ...
Air Siam originated in September 1965 as Varan Air‑Siam, created by Prince Varanand, who held a 90% ownership stake and was motivated by patriotic and political concerns. He believed that f ...
Alaska Airlines’ charter service into Eastern Siberia became one of the most unusual commercial operations of the Cold War, and it unfolded over a very specific window of time. The airline f ...
Air Afrique was created on March 28, 1961, when the heads of 11 newly independent French‑speaking African nations signed a treaty in Yaoundé to establish a multinational flag carrier. The mu ...

AdamAir emerged during the explosive growth phase of Indonesia’s low‑cost airline market in the early 2000s. The airline was established in 2003 as PT. Adam SkyConnection Airlines, wholly o ...
The history of Sri Lanka's national airline is a story of evolution, strategic partnerships, and resilience in a dynamic aviation landscape. It begins with the establishment of Air Lanka, ri ...
Air Siam originated in September 1965 as Varan Air‑Siam, created by Prince Varanand, who held a 90% ownership stake and was motivated by patriotic and political concerns. He believed that f ...
Alaska Airlines’ charter service into Eastern Siberia became one of the most unusual commercial operations of the Cold War, and it unfolded over a very specific window of time. The airline f ...
Air Afrique was created on March 28, 1961, when the heads of 11 newly independent French‑speaking African nations signed a treaty in Yaoundé to establish a multinational flag carrier. The mu ...

"Footnotes of Airline Histories" Part 2 (J - Z) - Interesting events and stories

Kiwi International Air Lines emerged from the ashes of Eastern and Pan Am, created by airline professionals who refused to abandon the industry after their former employers collapsed. Many h ...
Jet America Airlines emerged in the early deregulation era with the goal of giving Southern California travelers a full‑service alternative to the congestion of Los Angeles International Air ...
Laker Airways USA was launched as a joint venture between Sir Freddie Laker and Oscar S. Wyatt Jr., founder of Coastal Corporation, with Wyatt holding a 51% stake and Laker 49%. The airline ...
The second Midway Airlines began life in 1993, when a group of former Jet Express/USAir Express operators purchased the defunct Chicago‑based Midway Airlines name and launched a new carrier ...
"Ierse Zee". KLM introduced the Douglas DC‑7C “Seven Seas” in 1957, selecting the type as its ultimate long‑range piston‑engine airliner and the final step before the jet age. The airline or ...

This Day in Airline History:

Taban Air flight HH6437 was operating a domestic service from Abadan to Mashhad on January 24, 2010, using the pictured Tupolev Tu‑154M registered as RA‑85787. The flight had already been de ...
"Flagship Erie". American Airlines flight AA327 was a long multi‑stop transcontinental service operating from Providence, Rhode Island, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, with ten scheduled intermediate st ...
American Airlines flight AA6780 was a multi‑stop service from Buffalo to Newark with scheduled stops in Rochester and Syracuse. On January 22, 1952, the aircraft—a Convair 240‑0, registratio ...
Ex Ryanair EI-CSW. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET409 was a scheduled overnight service from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport to Addis Ababa on January 25, 2010, operated by the pictur ...
American Airlines’ inauguration of jet transcontinental service on January 25, 1959 marked a decisive turning point in U.S. commercial aviation. Flight AA2, operating from Los Angeles to New ...

Airline News...Top Stories

World Airline News Top Stories

American Airlines to launch electronic boarding gates at DFW, ushering in the next evolution of the boarding experience
Amazon Leo introduces gigabit-speed antenna for commercial aviation
Delta to debut its next generation Delta One® suite on the new Airbus A350-1000s
Air Canada Unveils Next Generation Glowing Hearted Cabins
QANTAS' first Airbus A350-1000ULR takes shape at Airbus
Frontier Airlines adds frequencies to Boston and New York
Lufthansa will paint six aircraft in its special 100th year livery
History of American Airlines
Cathay Pacific celebrates 80 Years with two retrojets, B-LRJ launches its inaugural flight to San Francisco today
Virgin Atlantic's new Airbus A350-1000 including "The Loft"

Hot New Photos

Hot New Photos – The Top 100

Airliners Gallery - RSS

Hot New Photos – Top 100

First 787-8 in the new livery: Air India’s Boeing 787‑8 retrofit program represents one of the most visible steps in the airline’s fleet‑modernization strategy, and the first aircraft to eme ... April 13, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)First 787-8 in the new livery: Air India’s Boeing 787‑8 retrofit program represents one of the most visible steps in the airline’s fleet‑modernization strategy, and the first aircraft to emerge from the program—the pictured VT‑ANT—became the milestone aircraft that set the tone for the rest of the Dreamliner upgrades. The project was designed […]
EgyptAir to become a new 737-8 MAX 8 operator pending first delivery in April 2026. EgyptAir currently has 18 Boeing 737‑8 MAX aircraft on order, according to the deal announced at the 2023 ... April 9, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)EgyptAir to become a new 737-8 MAX 8 operator pending first delivery in April 2026. EgyptAir currently has 18 Boeing 737‑8 MAX aircraft on order, according to the deal announced at the 2023 Dubai Airshow, where the airline committed to 18 MAX 8s through Air Lease Corporation (ALC). Deliveries are scheduled across 2026-2027, […]
Saudia unveiled this “Saudi, Welcome to Arabia” special livery on January 18, 2026, as part of a major joint tourism‑promotion campaign with the Saudi Tourism Authority. The aircraft chosen ... April 6, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Saudia unveiled this “Saudi, Welcome to Arabia” special livery on January 18, 2026, as part of a major joint tourism‑promotion campaign with the Saudi Tourism Authority. The aircraft chosen for the design was the pictured Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner registered as HZ‑ARF, which became the flagship for a year‑round global branding effort aimed at […]
Virgin Australia has unveiled this striking red and white retro livery on its newest Boeing 737‑8, VH‑8VI, marking a major dual milestone: the 150th Boeing 737 delivered to the airline since ... April 3, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Virgin Australia has unveiled this striking red and white retro livery on its newest Boeing 737‑8, VH‑8VI, marking a major dual milestone: the 150th Boeing 737 delivered to the airline since 2000 and the 100th 737 in its current fleet. The aircraft rolled out of Boeing’s Seattle factory in late March 2026 wearing […]
SAS marks the start of its 80th year of operations in 2026 with a specially painted Airbus A330-343, the pictured LN-RKR, celebrating eight decades of connecting Scandinavia with the world. ... March 31, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)SAS marks the start of its 80th year of operations in 2026 with a specially painted Airbus A330-343, the pictured LN-RKR, celebrating eight decades of connecting Scandinavia with the world. Throughout 2026, the airline will highlight its heritage and continued role in linking people, businesses and societies. The anniversary comes 80 years after […]
First Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 for Skymark Airlines: Skymark Airlines is preparing to introduce the Boeing 737‑8 MAX into its fleet much sooner than originally outlined in its long‑term order plan ... March 29, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)First Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 for Skymark Airlines: Skymark Airlines is preparing to introduce the Boeing 737‑8 MAX into its fleet much sooner than originally outlined in its long‑term order plan, with the first aircraft, JA738A, now in flight testing at Boeing and scheduled for delivery in April 2026. This aircraft marks the […]
SunExpress introduced the pictured “South London & Proud – The Eagles Fly” special livery on Boeing 737‑8 TC‑SMF in March 2026 as part of its expanding partnership with Crystal Palace FC. Th ... March 26, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)SunExpress introduced the pictured “South London & Proud – The Eagles Fly” special livery on Boeing 737‑8 TC‑SMF in March 2026 as part of its expanding partnership with Crystal Palace FC. The design was selected through a fan vote that overwhelmingly favored this bold, eagle‑themed concept, making it one of the club’s most […]
1st A350: EgyptAir’s Airbus A350‑941 fleet marks a major step in its long‑haul modernization strategy, with deliveries beginning in early 2026 and continuing through 2029. The first aircraft ... March 21, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)1st A350: EgyptAir’s Airbus A350‑941 fleet marks a major step in its long‑haul modernization strategy, with deliveries beginning in early 2026 and continuing through 2029. The first aircraft, the pictured SU‑GGE, had its first flight on January 22, 2026 and was delivered on February 9, 2026. It was followed by SU‑GGH (msn 776), […]
FlyTec is a new regional airline in Argentina that has begun positioning itself as a specialist operator for remote, high‑altitude, and industrial support flying—particularly for the country ... March 12, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)FlyTec is a new regional airline in Argentina that has begun positioning itself as a specialist operator for remote, high‑altitude, and industrial support flying—particularly for the country’s mining sector. The airline entered the public spotlight on March 11, 2026, when it took delivery of its first de Havilland Canada DHC-8‑402, becoming the first […]
The A380 in the special "100 Years" livery March 8, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)The A380 in the special "100 Years" livery
MNG Airlines' 2025 special "Go Green" livery March 6, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)MNG Airlines' 2025 special "Go Green" livery
Royal Air Maroc’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 promotional markings on Boeing 737‑8 CN‑MAX were introduced in November 2025 as part of a nationwide effort to showcase Morocco’s rol ... March 6, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Royal Air Maroc’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 promotional markings on Boeing 737‑8 CN‑MAX were introduced in November 2025 as part of a nationwide effort to showcase Morocco’s role as host of the 2025 tournament and to project the event’s branding across the airline’s most visible international routes. The aircraft became […]
2026 special "28 by 28 - The next EU member" markings: Montenegro’s push toward European Union membership has become the central organizing principle of its foreign and domestic policy, and ... March 6, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)2026 special "28 by 28 - The next EU member" markings: Montenegro’s push toward European Union membership has become the central organizing principle of its foreign and domestic policy, and by 2026 it stands as the most advanced EU‑candidate country in the Western Balkans. The accession process has reached its most demanding phase, […]
Rolled out on March 3, 2026 in the "100 Years" special livery March 4, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Rolled out on March 3, 2026 in the "100 Years" special livery
1955 "Super Star" retro livery: Lufthansa’s pictured Airbus A321‑231 D‑AISZ now wears this full 1955‑era “Super Star” retro livery, a design that recreates the look of the airline’s Lockheed ... March 3, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)1955 "Super Star" retro livery: Lufthansa’s pictured Airbus A321‑231 D‑AISZ now wears this full 1955‑era “Super Star” retro livery, a design that recreates the look of the airline’s Lockheed 1649A "Super Star" Starliner fleet from the dawn of its long‑haul piston era. The aircraft was repainted at Norwich in early February 2026 and […]
Air Canada’s first Airbus A321XLR, officially an A321‑271NY, marks a major step in the airline’s long‑range narrowbody strategy. The aircraft, currently flying under the Airbus test registra ... February 28, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Air Canada’s first Airbus A321XLR, officially an A321‑271NY, marks a major step in the airline’s long‑range narrowbody strategy. The aircraft, currently flying under the Airbus test registration of the pictured D‑AVZG, completed its first flight from Hamburg‑Finkenwerder Airport, remaining airborne for more than three hours while test pilots evaluated systems and performance . […]
Hainan Airlines’ pictured 2025 Mixue (蜜雪冰城) special livery represents one of the carrier’s most eye‑catching brand collaborations to date, applied to two Boeing 737‑800s, including the pictu ... February 26, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Hainan Airlines’ pictured 2025 Mixue (蜜雪冰城) special livery represents one of the carrier’s most eye‑catching brand collaborations to date, applied to two Boeing 737‑800s, including the pictured B‑1131. The design promotes Hainan’s Mixue’s bright red and blue branding and its widely recognized snowman mascot, creating a playful, high‑visibility aircraft that immediately stands out. […]
In February 2026, American Airlines introduced this striking new special livery to celebrate its role as an official partner of the FIFA World Cup 26™, unveiling the design on the pictured B ... February 18, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)In February 2026, American Airlines introduced this striking new special livery to celebrate its role as an official partner of the FIFA World Cup 26™, unveiling the design on the pictured Boeing 737‑823 registered as N844NN. The aircraft emerged in a vivid, high‑contrast paint scheme featuring bold red and blue elements, the official […]
Starlux Airlines’ first Airbus A350‑1000, the pictured B‑58551, marks a major milestone for both the airline and Taiwan’s aviation industry. Delivered in December 2025, the aircraft is the f ... February 15, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Starlux Airlines’ first Airbus A350‑1000, the pictured B‑58551, marks a major milestone for both the airline and Taiwan’s aviation industry. Delivered in December 2025, the aircraft is the first A350‑1000 to enter service with a Taiwanese carrier and debuts Starlux’s striking “Carbon Fiber” special livery, a design that highlights the A350’s composite structure […]
Lufthansa’s Airbus A350‑941 D‑AIXL became the latest aircraft to join the airline’s expanding 100 Years – 1926 | 2026 anniversary fleet when it arrived in Munich on February 12, 2026 followi ... February 14, 2026
Bruce Drum (AirlinersGallery.com)Lufthansa’s Airbus A350‑941 D‑AIXL became the latest aircraft to join the airline’s expanding 100 Years – 1926 | 2026 anniversary fleet when it arrived in Munich on February 12, 2026 following completion of its special‑livery paintwork in Châteauroux, France. The aircraft features the deep‑blue fuselage and oversized XXL crane emblem that define Lufthansa’s centennial branding, […]