Eleven U.S. Senators (led by Senator Ted Cruz) have written to President Trump’s administration criticising Italian airline, Air Italy — specifically citing urgent need for action in relation to Air Italy’s routes to both New York and Miami. In 2017, Qatar Airways acquired a 49% stake in AQA Holding, the parent company of Meridiana Fly, which was later rebranded as Air Italy. With Qatar’s investment, Air Italy is now set to become a significant airline player in Italy, and perhaps one day, the largest, given the uncertainty surrounding bankrupt-Alitalia. 

In the letter to the Trump administration, Senators questioned Air Italy’s ability to launch U.S. services, claiming Air Italy’s flights to the United States threatens American airlines and jobs, while adding that Air Italy’s entry into the “crowded market appears consistent with Qatar Airways pattern of adding subsidized capacity in markets where demand is already served.”