That was always a long shot. The real issue is the June renewal in congress, and the terms of that renewal. The IM-EX has never faced more of a threat of being completely shut down than it does now. However I don't think it will completely go away, nor do I think it will go away for Boeing. But tax payer funded discounts/subsidies for wide body airliners to wealthy foreign airlines that are using them to poach American industry that American airlines are not allowed to get, OTOH, is a lot harder to defend. I understand why you are doing it though. A good ME3 cheerleader wants that welfare check to use against the US airlines. Bribe us with our own money to take our industry down. More shiny new widebody planes by any means necessary. We get it. Best of luck.

Also the MXP poaching is potentially on the chopping block as well. If that happens, it would likely slam the door on many similar fantasy routes from ME3.

We're also looking at freezing the ME3's US expansion even from their 3 cities as its pretty hard to defend something as bilateral "open skies" when its a 10 or 20 to 1 proposition against us.

All of the above and more could happen to various degrees. Its very much an issue in progress and nothing should be taken for granted from either side. Couple all the above possibilities with potentially cheap oil for quite some time and escalating regional instability amplified in part because of that, and you absolutely can't count on the US to both pay you to take our planes to use against us and forever defend your little "kingdoms" while you do it. The ME3 may face budgetary shortfalls that even the finest global airline monopoly couldn't generate enough revenue to make up for. All in a region where austerity would be both necessary and a massive national security issue.

But hey, shiny new widebodies and no taxes. Weeeeeeeee!

 

Here is Etihad's US response to Labor issues. The last sentence is very Interesting:
" It is very clear that without Open Skies, our employees and consumers would have few choices but those airlines in the oligopoly of immunized alliances that dominate the global industry and seek to reduce the competitive landscape."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/etihad...l?soc_src=copy

 

Why Emirates Is Not a real Airline. Georgetown University Professor weighs in on the Big 3 Middle East airlines subsidies.

Why Emirates Is Not a Real Airline | Rob Britton