The control of air connectivity, a tool of power on the international scene: the development strategies of Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Summary The development of powerful airlines with clear support from political actors who have (re)launched their activities poses important challenges for the international airline industry. Indeed, many political entities perceive air transport as an indispensable tool for promoting their interests and gaining a stronger foothold on the international scene. The cases of the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, as well as Turkey, provide a good illustration of how political actors use the development of a locally based airline to further their own objectives. The unprecedented growth of Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, however, is shaking up the evolution of global air connectivity, while the many players in the airline industry are struggling to agree on a global framework to ensure "fair competition" between carriers, against a backdrop of competing interests. The control of connectivity is indeed a soft power tool that strengthens the position of the actors that use it, while at the same time creating increasing links of (inter)dependence. However, political authorities are adopting different approaches in order to develop their soft power, while the European Union is, for the time being, not involved in this dynamic.