"The notice advised that Qatar Airways intends to purchase at least $808 million and, in a conversation between the CEOs of the two companies…Qatar Airways indicated that it has an interest in acquiring approximately a ten percent stake," the Securities and Exchange Commission filing stated.
The carrier said Qatar Airways showed interest in purchasing publicly traded American Airlines stock on the open market.
American noted that the proposed investment would not change its company structure or alter its "conviction on the need to enforce the Open Skies agreements with the United Arab Emirates and the nation of Qatar."
In February, the CEOs of American, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines wrote to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to complain about the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar subsidizing their national carriers. The executives accused the Gulf nations of abusing the Open Skies deals and pressed the Trump administration to review the agreements.
