Airline chiefs at White House with concerns over Open Skies agreement; subsidies by Qatar, UAE

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump planned to meet on Thursday with the chief executives of major American airlines to discuss their accusations that subsidies by Qatar and United Arab Emirates are costing jobs in the United States.

The 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT) meeting between Trump and the CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines will also include Vice President Mike Pence, two people familiar with the meeting said.

The American airlines argue that Qatar and the UAE violate their Open Skies agreement with the United States by massively subsidizing their airlines in ways that undercut the American carriers and cost US jobs.

The CEO of Qatar Airlines is also expected at the event.