not wanting to take a side, but apart from all the various arguments here, it runs down to the following statement:
These government-owned Gulf carriers are not playing by the rules their governments agreed to when they signed Open Skies agreements with the U.S.
If this can be proven, then it is a breach of contract. Something we all experience with the reigning mentality in the ME.
Basically we should therefore sustain it ........
On the other hand it remains to be checked, if the following statement is part of the mentioned rules as well:
They (ME carriers) say the U.S. legacy carriers' bankruptcy, bailouts and other perks helped put them in their current position.
If not, this argument will not withhold in any court dealing with the pretended violation of these 'rules'.