WASHINGTON -- Emirates Airline, owned by the United Arab Emirates, is about to launch flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Athens.

Members of the New Jersey and New York congressional delegations want to block them.

The reason? They say Emirates and two other non-union Middle Eastern airlines, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have gotten $50 billion in government subsidies in violation of the Open Skies agreements removing limits on international flights to and from the U.S.

"While we support expanding flight options and greater connectivity, we do not support subsidy-enabled flights that cost American jobs and could violate U.S. trade agreements," a bipartisan group of 25 New Jersey and New York lawmakers wrote to President Donald Trump in advance of Emirates' maiden flight on Saturday.

The issue pits United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines and airline unions against the Middle Eastern airlines. Their group, the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, has retained the public affairs and advocacy firm SKDKnickerbocker, which employs Democratic political operatives such as Bill Burton, President Barack Obama's former press secretary and a founder of the Priorities USA Action super political action committee.

"President Trump has made it clear he intends to crack down on trade cheaters who violate our international agreements," partnership spokeswoman Jill Zuckman said. "We hope he will side with Congress and bar the new Emirates flight to send a message that the Trump administration will not tolerate rule-breaking that costs American jobs."

Emirates said in a statement on its website that it does not receive subsidies.

"What the U.S. legacy carriers want is protection from competition, but that outcome would only harm American consumers, communities and the national economy," the airline said.

Emirates has been supported by the U.S. Travel Association, who said that tourists flying in 2014 on one of the three Middle East carriers in question pumped $1.8 billion into the New York-New Jersey economy, creating 21,000 jobs.

"These members of Congress have been misled that they're doing this to protect American jobs," said Erik Hansen, vice president of government relations for the association, which lists Emirates as having its highest level of membership.

The Garden State lawmakers signing the letter were Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6th Dist.), who garnered the signatures of 250 representatives asking the U.S. Transportation Department to intervene in May 2015; Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), who often has sided with organized labor against fellow Republicans; Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.), a former union leader; Josh Gottheimer (D-5th Dist.); Leonard Lance (R-7th Dist.); Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.); Donald Payne Jr. (D-10th Dist.) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12th Dist.).

Trump last month met with the chief executives of Delta and United. Spokesman Sean Spicer said the issue with the Middle Eastern airlines was on the agenda.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the lawmakers' letter.

The three U.S. air carriers are major players in U.S. politics, contributing more than $4 million to campaigns for the 2016 elections.

American, Delta and United spent a combined $14 million to lobby in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group. Emirates spent $110,000.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.