Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has sharply criticised Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson for blaming terrorism emanating from the Gulf for the US airline industry's troubles last decade.

“He should be ashamed to bring up the issue of terrorism in order to hide his inefficiency in running an airline. He should compete with us instead of cry wolf for his shortcomings,” Al Baker was quoted as saying in a CNN International programme by a Skift report.

On claims of unfair state aid to Gulf carriers by Anderson, he said: “Quite frankly Mr Richard Anderson needs to study to find out the difference between equity and subsidy.”

US airlines Delta, United Airlines, and American Airlines are currently lobbying the US government to restrict moves by the Gulf carriers to expand routes around the world, claiming that the airlines receive unfair subsidies from their governments.

Anderson had told CNN earlier: “It’s a great irony to have the UAE from the Arabian Peninsula talk about that, given the fact that our industry was really shocked by the terrorism of 9/11, which came from terrorists from the Arabian Peninsula.”

Gulf airlines argue that the bankruptcy protections the US airlines received in the 2000s amounted to unfair state aid.

“Let me go back to the issue of subsidies,” Al Bakar said. “Mr. Anderson has forgotten in 2001 that the US government contributed $5 billion aid to airlines and $10 billion in loan guarantees. Was this a subsidy or just a donation?”

Al Baker also rejected claims that Qatar Airways tied flight attendants into restrictive contracts. “That is a load of bullshit,” Al Baker said. “That is people creating issues because we don’t have unions and they don’t like that. Rumours are being circulated and they are absolutely untrue.”