The US government will wait until late August at the earliest to deliberate on allegations by three US mainline carriers that their Gulf rivals received $42 billion in state subsidies.

The US Departments of Transportation, State and Commerce say today that they will continue to receive information in three dockets until the end of 3 August. Any comments on this information can be submitted until the end of 24 August, add the three agencies.

"The Departments may establish additional deadlines at their discretion," they say.

In April, the three agencies announced that they would begin a review into the claims brought by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines that three Gulf carriers - Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways - had received more than $42 billion from their governments. The agencies said then they would begin a review by end-May, but have since made no further announcements on the issue.

"No decision has been made on next steps," say the agencies in a supplemental document accompanying the announcement on the new deadlines today.

The agencies say they have received "considerable information" to date and want to provide an opportunity for the submission of additional materials.

Emirates, Qatar and Etihad deny the claims that they receive state subsidies, and have held meetings with US officials in recent months to discuss the case.

The three US mainline carriers have called on the US government to stop the Gulf carriers from adding new flights to the USA while it reviews the allegations, but US authorities have not heeded this demand.

Source: Cirium Dashboard