New Poll: Over 78 percent of Atlanta voters believe the U.S. government should act to end Open Skies subsidy violations

ATLANTA, April 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A survey of Atlanta voters conducted during the week of April 20, 2015 shows that over 78% believe that the U.S. government should act to end subsidy violations and stand up for American workers. This nonpartisan, issue-based poll of 475 Atlanta voters was conducted by Premiere Political Communications, of Austin, Texas on behalf of Americans for Fair Skies.

Atlanta voters broadly agree that the U.S. government needs to act to end aviation trade agreement violations:

• 78 percent felt the U.S. government should take action to remedy violations if it was proven that foreign partners were violating the Open Skies agreements they signed with the United States.
• 78 percent felt that the U.S. government should take action to resolve these subsidy violations rather than waiting for the consumer-driven marketplace to work out a solution.
• 85 percent also felt it was a national security risk to allow the viability of our aviation infrastructure to be threatened due to their important relationship with the U.S. military in times of crisis.

For over 10 years, the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have subsidized their airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates, with over $42 billion in violation of the Open Skies aviation trade agreements they signed with the U.S. These subsidies have resulted a significant distortion of the private, open marketplace, allowing these airlines to artificially lower the cost of seats, dumping excess seat capacity on routes, undermining the principles of fair competition outlined in the trade agreements and threatening U.S. aviation jobs.

"The poll shows that Atlanta voters are ready to see the U.S. government stand up for aviation workers and find solutions to aviation trade violations that threaten the viability of a critical national industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it creates," said Captain Lee Moak, President of Americans for Fair Skies. "The time for consultations between nations to resolve this issue is now."

For a complete breakdown of poll results, please visit http://fairskies.org/april-2015-poll-results.

Press contact: Michael Robbins, 202-549-4121, [email protected]

SOURCE Americans for Fair Skies