Emirates to open Dublin next year

DUBAI, U.A.E., 8th September 2011: Emirates announced today that it will begin daily flights to Dublin from January 2012, marking its first route to the Republic of Ireland.
The daily service, from 9th January next year, will leave Dubai at 0700hrs and arrive in the Irish capital at 1130hrs. The return flight leaves Dublin at 1255hrs and gets into Dubai at 0025hrs the next day. An Airbus A330-200 will be deployed between Dubai and Dublin, offering First, Business and Economy class.
"Dublin will be our 29th route in Europe and Emirates' customers in Ireland who currently travel through some of our UK gateways will be able to fly non-stop to our industry leading hub in Dubai and conveniently connect onwards to our broadening route network," said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. "We see strong potential in Ireland through its industry, technology, tourism and the huge number of Irish nationals living overseas."

Ireland has a population of around 4.5 million, but it's estimated more than 15 times that live overseas, including somewhere in the region of 80,000 Irish nationals in Australia and about 5,000 in the UAE. Other key markets are predicted to include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, South Africa, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

The Republic is a popular tourist destination and last year received 6.7 million visitors, drawn by the rich ancient history, spectacular countryside, traditional Irish music, thousands of miles of scenic coastline and renowned fresh air.



“We are delighted to welcome Emirates Airline to Dublin,” said Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) Chief Executive Declan Collier. “The significant improvements we have made to our facilities in recent years, including the opening of a new passenger terminal, was a major factor in helping to win this new business and we look forward to a successful partnership with our newest customer.”
Emirates SkyCargo is already active in Ireland, mostly carrying goods through Manchester, and with 14 tonnes of bellyhold capacity becoming available on each passenger flight, activity in the market will intensify. Pharmaceuticals, which make up nearly a quarter of Ireland's exports, are expected to be amongst the commodities carried, along with electronics.

With a fleet of 157 aircraft and the largest A380 operator in the world, Emirates currently flies to 114 destinations in 67 countries.

Services to Basra, Geneva and Copenhagen have already started this year. Flights to St Petersburg begin on 1st November with Baghdad following suit as of 13th November. Rio and Buenos Aires become new links into South America from 3rd January 2012.

Source: Emirates.com

Emirates to Buenos Aires via GIG

Emirates will start daily services to Buenos Aires via Rio de Janeiro from January 3, 2012.

The service will be operated by a B777-300ER with eight First Class private suites, 42 lie-flat Business seats and 304 Economy seats.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, said both cities are renowned as world-class leisure destinations as well as important business and trading centres.

"Our research has shown that there is a high demand for these cities from across our network," he said.

"Our first service to Argentina is a much-anticipated addition to our network which will open important new markets for us."

Brazil has been part of the Emirates network since 2007 when it began flights from Dubai to Sao Paulo.

With the country set to host both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics, Brazil will be further catapulted into the world’s spotlight - an additional allure for the sports sponsorship-loving airline.

EK 247 will leave Dubai daily at 0705hrs and arrive at Rio’s Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport at 1535hrs.

It will depart Rio at 1720hrs, arriving at Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza) at 1930hrs.

From Buenos Aires, EK248 departs at 2130hrs, arriving in Rio at 0120hrs the next day. The aircraft will depart Rio at 0255hours, arriving in Dubai at 2235hrs.

Source: Businesstraveller

Austria is refusing for Emirates' landing rights

Austria’s air traffic control centre has rejected Emirates Airline’s bid to almost double its daily flights to Vienna under its planned summer flight schedule, amid a wider row between Austrian Airlines and the Dubai carrier over access to the European market.
Emirates, the Arab world’s largest airline, had planned to increase lights on the route to 13 a week from March 27 in response to high customer demand, but the request was denied by Austrian authorities over what Emirates has called a “technical disagreement.”
The state-backed carrier told Arabian Business it is still in talks with Austrian authorities to secure the landing slots and is optimistic of the outcome.
“Emirates is confident that from 27th March 2011, a total of 13 flights per week will be operated from Vienna to Dubai in response to a high demand for our services,” a spokesperson said.

“Talks continue with the Austrian authorities to resolve a technical disagreement concerning the air services agreement between the UAE and Austria and our additional flights, which passengers have booked on, Emirates has invested in promoting and hired new staff for.”

The refusal follows explosive comments from the co-chairman of Austrian Airlines (AUA) who this week accused Emirates of leveraging its state links to undercut its European rival.
“It’s not a match of airline against airline – it’s a game between a state and AUA,” Peter Malanik told Austria’s Kurier newspaper Tuesday.
“The hub Dubai is being expanded regardless of the project’s profitability. It’s just about the location. The owner is also the lawmaker, the regulator, it owns the airline and the airport and is in charge of air traffic monitoring. It also provides the kerosene. Money doesn’t matter.”
Malanik said labour rights rules and consumer protection regulations in Europe prevented the region’s airlines from being able to compete fairly with Gulf carriers.
“The situation is similar to the production of T-shirts using child labour. AUA would need to hire 1,000 staff from Bangladesh immediately to be able to compete. Do we want that? Certainly not,” he said.

Austrian Airlines is one of a number of European carriers, including Air France KLM, British Airways and its parent company, Lufthansa – which earlier this year was accused of lobbying its government to stop Emirates securing new landing slots - to call for curbs on the expansion of Gulf carriers on long-haul routes.
The carriers claim Gulf airline use unfair subsidies to finance aircraft deals and to take market share from existing airlines.
A number of US and European airlines are impacted by a so-called 'home market rule,' which states that countries where Boeing and Airbus build aircraft cannot use export credit agencies to help their carriers buy passenger airliners.
The rule, which impacts carriers in the US, UK and France, among others, is seen as offering an unfair advantage to Gulf carriers unaffected by the law.
Malanik said AUA had scrapped flight routes to Mauritius and Australia due to competition from Emirates.
“[The airline’s] next target is to kill our link to Bangkok," he added.

Emirates Airline’s president Tim Clark said in February that European carriers must address their own failing business strategies rather than attacking the growth of Gulf airlines.
“It has taken European carriers donkeys’ years to adapt their business models to the changing dynamics of global civil aviation,” he said. “They haven’t been able to align their traffic flows to what is going on, whereas we have.”

Source: arabianbusiness.com

Emirates is going for A350-1000 instead of A350-900

Emirates is considering swapping its order for 50 Airbus A350-900s to A350-1000s as Airbus works on finalising design of the stretched variant.
In November 2007, the carrier ordered 70 A350 XWBs, initially specifying 50 of the baseline -900s and 20 -1000s. But Emirates president Tim Clark says over the last three years the carrier's network has matured to the point where it "can no longer tolerate anything under 300" seats.
Emirates is slated to take 290-seat A350-900s from April 2015. The A350-1000s would be a better fit, but the longer wait must also be considered.
"It [the -900] is now appearing too small," says Clark. "So we may slip the order to the -1000, but the -1000 hasn't been frozen yet. We haven't decided quite yet which one we'll take. We're actually playing around with how this order fits."

The A350-900 is scheduled to enter service in 2013, while Airbus has provided a 2015 entry into service date for -1000 stretch. Clark says the only option if Emirates wants to take A350s in 2015 is to stick with the -900.
Delivery dates for the A350-1000 are not likely to be firmed up until the design is frozen, which could take time as airlines continue to press Airbus for changes. Clark says with the current design the -1000 will not have a range or payload comparable to the Boeing 777-300ER.
"Airbus compares the -1000 to the 777-300ER. I've told them in no uncertain terms it does not. I see it as a 320-, 330-seater which will be very economical on missions up to 10 or 12 hours," he says. "The notion that it would fly from Singapore to European gateways in the winter months with 100 knots on the nose is a bit of an ask. We've suggested they need to come to grips with that, which means they need to increase the takeoff weight and they need to increase propulsion."
The aircraft is slated to be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines but Clark is "not sure they will do the job".
If its -900s are delayed beyond 2015 or it elects to wait for the -1000, Emirates can avail of the "safety net" of 30 additional 777-300ERs ordered last year. The airline's original thinking was for the A350-900s to replace its 777-200s, A330-200s and A340-300s, but it has the flexibility to retain these aircraft for longer.
In 2007 the airline ordered 70 A350 XWBs: 50 -900s and 20 -1000s

src: flightglobal.com

GVA first then CPH (EK Routes)

Award-winning airline launches its second destination in Switzerland
DUBAI, U.A.E., 1st December 2010: Emirates will be increasing its commitment to Switzerland on 1st June 2011 with the launch of non-stop, daily flights between Dubai and Geneva.

Geneva, one of the most important banking and financial cities in the world, will become Emirates’ 111th international destination and its 26th destination in Europe. Geneva is also the home to over 300 international governmental and non-governmental organisations, such as the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Switzerland has been part of the Emirates network since 1992, when we began flights from Dubai to Zurich. The announcement of Geneva as our newest European destination underlines our commitment to this important country,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group.

“Our research has shown that there is a high demand for this route from across our network, from both the business sector, particularly financial, and the leisure travellers who are looking for both summer relaxation and winter sports,” added Sheikh Ahmed.

Starting 1st June 2011, EK 089 will leave Dubai each day at 0855hrs and arrive in Geneva at 1410hrs. From Geneva, EK 090 departs at 1540hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2359hrs.

The service will be operated with a combination of Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, in a three-class configuration, offering Private Suites in First Class, lie-flat seats in Business Class, and a spacious cabin in Economy Class.

Passengers in all classes can enjoy Emirates’ award-winning ice (information, communication, entertainment) Digital Widescreen inflight entertainment system, which features over 1,200 channels of the latest blockbuster movies, TV programmes and music from around the world.

In addition to the entertainment, passengers can enjoy the delicacies from a gourmet menu served to them by Emirates Cabin Crew from over 120 nations including Switzerland.

Emirates expects to use the full 15-20-tonne cargo capacity per flight and will be transporting valuable cargo such as luxury watches and high-end fashion goods; diplomatic cargo and relief shipments for the International Red Cross; as well as chemicals, pharma products and electronics.

Emirates currently offers double-daily flights between Dubai and Zurich.

emirates.com

EK is doing it again!!

Denmark to become the 67th country served by Emirates


DUBAI, U.A.E., 20th January 2011: Emirates is set to add a new European country to its ever expanding route network when the Dubai-based international airline launches non-stop, daily flights to Copenhagen in Denmark on 1st August.

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital city which attracts 1.3 million tourists a year, will become the Emirates’ 112th international destination and the 27th destination in Europe.

“Copenhagen is an important hub for the whole of Scandinavia and the launch of our non-stop service will open up a new market for Emirates. It will also offer Denmark’s businesses with easy connections to previously untapped markets,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group. “Dubai and Copenhagen both have a strong maritime and trading tradition and Emirates is looking forward to adding this dynamic city to our European network and also welcoming Denmark as the 67th country that we fly to from Dubai.”

Starting 1st August 2011, EK 151 will leave Dubai each day at 0830hrs and arrive in Copenhagen at 1310hrs. From Copenhagen, EK 152 departs at 1455hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2315hrs.

Emirates will be operating an Airbus A330-200 on the Copenhagen route in a three-class configuration. On board, passengers can enjoy the delicacies from the exclusive menu served to them by Emirates’ cabin crew from over 120 nations.

Passengers on all Emirates’ flights also have the added bonus of extra baggage allowance with 30 kilogrammes for those travelling in Economy, 40 kilogrammes for Business and 50 kilogrammes for First Class.

Copenhagen, with a population 1.2 million people in the metropolitan area, has a compact city centre which has developed into a major regional centre of culture, business, media and science.

Copenhagen is the third new route announced by Emirates for 2011, following Basra on 2nd February and Geneva on 1st June.

Moveover LH - EK (LH's petition to block EK in Canada

Germany’s Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline, is encouraging Canadian authorities to block Emirate Airline’s bid to expand the number of flights it operates to Canada, the vice chairman of the Dubai-based carrier told Arabian Business.
“They are targeting Emirates, being egged on by Lufthansa… It is purely the protection of Air Canada,” Maurice Flanagan, vice chairman of Emirates Airline, told Arabian Business of Canadian authorities refusal to allow the Dubai-based carrier to increase the number of flights it operates to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
“We have perfect open skies to the United States, we can fly anywhere we wish with any capacity and any frequency so we go to New York, San Francisco, Los Angles they are all non-stop. Canada we are restricted to three flights a week [which is] absolutely ridiculous when the market is there for double daily Toronto, double daily Vancouver, and double daily Calgary. The market is there,” Flanagan added.
The breakdown of talks between the two governments in October has resulted in the deterioration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with the UAE recently increasing visa restrictions for Canadian visitors.

While Canada has said the current number of flights are enough to service the market between the two countries, Flanagan disagreed: “They know it’s simply not true, there are 26,000 Canadians working here, enormous trade between just Dubai, not just the UAE, that’s ten times as much with Switzerland but they’ve given Switzerland open skies, all in protection of Air Canada.”
Canadians travelling to the Middle East currently have to transit through major European airports, such as Frankfurt, which is the main hub for Germany’s Lufthansa. Lufthansa and Air Canada are linked through their membership of the Star Alliance airline association.
“(Air Canada) would rather its passengers be diverted through hubs in Europe to access these destinations; no matter how inconvenient, costly or time-consuming… Why should Canadian consumers be dictated to by the narrow interests of Air Canada’s and its fellow Star Alliance member Lufthansa?” Emirates said in a press brochure issued last month.
Looking to the future, Flanagan believes the issue is no longer just about landing right and is now a bigger diplomatic issue: “It is heavily political now; we are almost out of the picture.”
GCC airlines, such as Etihad, Dubai’s Emirates and Qatar Airways have recently been criticised by European airlines, which say government subsidies and access to cheap financing have allowed Gulf carriers to expand rapidly.
Emirates overtook Lufthansa last year as the biggest carrier on international flights, following a sixfold increase in traffic since 2000, when it ranked 24th.

src:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/lufthansa-encouraging-canada-block-emirates-expansion-claims-flanagan-365633.html

EK ramps up flights to EU

I just found out yesterday that Emirates will add GVA (Geneva, Switzerland) to it's EU network. Being the second route to Switzerland after ZRH (Zurich, Switzerland). The flight will commence on June next year utilizing the 77W/77ER equipment.

In addition to this EK also ramps up its services to SIN, SYD, and HAM.

Dubai – Bangkok eff 30MAY11 28th weekly frequency resumes, EK374/375 operates Daily instead of Day x6
Dubai – Hamburg eff 01SEP11 Increase from 1 to 2 Daily. 2nd Daily flight operates with 3-class 777-200ER
EK059 DXB0900 – 1340HAM 773 D
EK061 DXB1500 – 1940HAM 772 D
EK060 HAM1525 – 2340DXB 773 D
EK062 HAM2125 – 0540+1DXB 772 D
Dubai – Sydney eff 02OCT11 2nd Daily nonstop service (3rd Daily overall) to be resumed
EK414 DXB0140 – 2230SYD 77W D
EK415 SYD0600 – 1330DXB 77W D 03OCT11-
Dubai – Singapore eff 30OCT11 Introduction of 3rd Daily NONSTOP with 3-class 777-300ER (non-suite; overall SIN service increase to 4 Daily)
EK354 DXB0325 – 1445SIN 77W D
EK355 SIN0200 – 0510DXB 77W D

Source:http://airlineroute.net/2010/11/30/ek-s11-update2/

Emirates asks Airbus for longer-range A350

I've been very busy with work that's why I'm not able to update this blog anymore. But since my friend Twisted Dichotomy updated hers, I'll update mine too... =)

For now, update about EK =) Happy Landings!


Emirates, the world's biggest airline by international traffic, urged Airbus SAS to boost the range of the biggest version of its new A350 wide-body plane as Boeing ponders a redesign of the competing 777 model.

Emirates, whose outstanding orders for the 777 will make it the twin-jet's biggest user, needs higher-capacity aircraft for its longest intercontinental routes, Tim Clark, the Dubai-based airline's president, said today in an interview in Paris.

Clark has ordered 20 350-seat A350-1000s, a model he says can't reach Los Angeles from Dubai in the three-class layout that Emirates prefers. The Boeing planes that it currently uses on the route are based on a less efficient 20-year-old design, with the 354-seat 777-300ER at the limits of its range, curbing the payload, and the 777-200LR limited to 266 people.

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"We're finding that the smallest aircraft that's useful to us needs to be 340 seats," Clark said. "We're trying to persuade Airbus to realign the A350-1000 more toward the ER, increasing both its capacity and its range."

With the A350-1000 still undergoing development and not due for delivery to Emirates until 2015, Toulouse, France-based Airbus may still be able to reconfigure elements of the design. Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath declined to comment today.

Emirates has ordered a total of 70 A350s, including 50 of the -900 variant, which can fly 200 miles further than the -1000 but which carries only 300 people in the three-class configuration. The biggest Arab airline also has options on an additional 50 A350s and signed a letter of intent firming up 30 of those in 2008.

777 Revamp

Clark said Emirates is equally interested in a new 777 if Boeing revamps the model enough to deliver significant savings.

With its 787 Dreamliner yet to enter service, Boeing plans to decide next year whether to commit to a full redesign for the 777 or build a new wing to boost performance, something the Chicago-based manufacturer began discussing in June 2009.

"We would like to see an aircraft that's lighter, with or without composites, and more fuel efficient," Clark said, adding that the plane would need to fly from Dubai to Los Angeles in 16 1/2 hours with a payload of 35 to 40 metric tons, compared with a maximum 30 tons today. "It's a big ask. In the end they'll come up with something, but I doubt they'll quite achieve that."

'Room for Both'

Clark said Emirates may place more orders for both the A350 and the 777 for use on its longest routes if the competing aircraft are developed to its satisfaction.

"There's room for both planes, quite frankly," he said.

For Boeing, a revamped or all-new 777 would fill a gap in its lineup above the 290-seat Dreamliner. Emirates has about 90 777s in operation or on order, making it the model's top user.

Boeing is regularly seeking the input of Emirates and other customers and has the time "to make the right product decisions" that are aligned with available technologies and airlines' needs, said Jim Proulx, a spokesman in Seattle, home to the company's commercial headquarters.

"We are committed to maintaining our leadership in this segment and providing customers a product offering to do that for another 20 years or longer, whether it is a 777 derivative or possible new airplane," Proulx said.

Airbus's A380 superjumbo may also feature in Emirates' reckoning on very-long-haul flights as the aircraft's weight is gradually reduced, Clark said. The Dubai-Los Angeles route is within the model's range, according to the Airbus Website.

Emirates will introduce the A380 to Tokyo's Narita airport as soon as next September, when it begins taking the next batch of six to nine jets, due for delivery through March 2012, the CEO said. That will take the fleet to between 21 and 24 planes.

Bookings remain "very strong" on routes already served by the A380 and show no sign of suffering from the Nov. 4 engine blowout on a Qantas Airways Ltd. plane powered by Rolls-Royce Group Plc turbines. Emirates' superjumbos are equipped with engines from a General Electric Co.-Pratt & Whitney venture.

EK near miss at DXB

A major air disaster was averted on Sunday morning in Dubai when an Emirates flight took off mere seconds after touching down because another carrier was already on the same runway.

"Emirates flight EK523 from Trivandrum to Dubai landed at 0722 on November 7, 2010. The aircraft initiated a go-around sequence at the time of landing, after momentarily touching the runway. This is a standard procedure initiated by crew or Air Traffic Control to ensure the safe operation of the flight," said an Emirates spokesperson.

"The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and will not be compromised,” the spokesperson added.

The near miss involved flight number EK523, arriving at 7am from the South Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram. A passenger onboard the carrier confirmed the incident with Emirates 24|7, saying the pilot made this announcement over the public address system.

Dr Ashok D, 43, who was aboard the A330-200 flight, said: “The flight had already been delayed considering we were scheduled to arrive at 6.20am, but made landing at 7am. Yet, as soon as the plane touched down, it was airborne again within seconds.

“Many passengers were still asleep at the time, but the few of us who were awake were quite alarmed by this as the plane took off at a very steep angle – almost 45 degrees.

“It was within five minutes that the pilot announced over the PA system, apologising for the inconvenience, and saying that because there was another plane already on the runway, he was forced to take off immediately.”

Dr Ashok said the plane circled the airspace for another 20 minutes, before it landed “in a different area from where we normally land; the bus ride to Terminal 3 took another 20 minutes”.

When contacted, both Emirates airline and Dubai Airports said they are investigating the matter.

“All of us are grateful to the pilot’s vigilance, because had he hesitated even for a second, who knows what could have happened,” the passenger stated.

source: http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/emirates-plane-in-near-miss-at-dubai-airport-2010-11-07-1.314446

Emirates to fly A380 to Munich from next year

I've been very very busy lately so I can't blog much about my personal life but I can still update you about the industry. =)

Dr Michael Kerkloh, CEO of Munich International Airport, said that Emirates airline plans to launch Airbus A380 flights from Dubai to Munich next year.

He said that the airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the most modern and the best in the Gulf and the world, attributing that to the vision of leadership.

He said in an exclusive interview with Wam that Abu Dhabi International Airport has achieved a giant leap in the growth of travel and air cargo from Abu Dhabi to the world after the construction of the third terminal building for passengers and that the co-operation projects with Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) have yielded positive results, notably, the co-operation in expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Kerkloh noted that "we are willing to put our expertise to develop the airports of the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the next stage", adding that the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have placed themselves in prominent places on the world map thanks to the development of their airports as per the latest international standards and regulations.

Kerkloh expressed his wish for further co-operation with the airports' authorities in the UAE in the next stage.

"We will put our technical expertise and human resources to provide the country's needs in this area," he added.

He explained that Munich International Airport Company operates from Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman where a number of advisors work through the company's regional office in Abu Dhabi.

Kerkloh pointed out that there is strong demand from national carriers and the Gulf on the Munich International Airport, which he described as the region’s gateway to Germany and the European continent.

He said translation services are provided free to visitors through the Arab-Bavaria Friendship Society in Bavaria and the allocation of restaurants offering Arab halal food, in addition to the presence of a mosque at the Munich International Airport.

Kerkloh stressed Etihad Airways has become a major player in the tourism and travel in Europe and surpassed the majority of major companies due to its success in the transport of passengers from European cities to the Middle East, through the airports of Munich and Abu Dhabi.

He said the international airport of Munich took part in the construction operations of the new building in Abu Dhabi International Airport Terminal 2 for Etihad Airways.

Kerkloh said that the Munich airport carried out the latest programme on running the airports in the world in the new building of Abu Dhabi International Airport.

SRC:http://www.emirates247.com/business/economy-finance/emirates-to-fly-a380-to-munich-from-next-year-2010-10-23-1.307855

Early Christmas Present from Tim Clark!

Emirates Airlines, the Dubai-based airline, wants to buy a total of 120 Airbus A380s. These suckers have an average price tag of $325 mln a pop. Assuming they pay list price, that would total a cool EUR 28 bln….

Emirates also says it is working with Boeing on replacing its fleet of 777s.

These things take years to build, so any immediate impact on the euro would be modest, but it would be a macro plus for the euro zone if it comes to fruition.

src:http://www.forexlive.com/138688/all/emirates-wants-to-buy-120-super-jumbos

Good News for EK FA wannabe's

Emirates Order for 90 A380s ‘Not Enough,’ Clark Says
September 09, 2010, 10:13 AM EDT
By Steve Rothwell


(Updates with analyst’s comment in seventh paragraph.)

Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Emirates, the world’s biggest airline by international traffic, said the 90 Airbus SAS A380 superjumbos it’s buying won’t be sufficient to meet the carrier’s projected demand.

The aircraft “are well spoken for and frankly, the way things are going for us at the moment, the 90 certainly won’t be enough,” President Tim Clark said today in a phone interview. “Demand for our services seems to be continuing to grow apace. We’re moving forward very robustly.”

The carrier, already the biggest customer for Airbus’s 517- seat plane, has expanded its traffic sixfold in the last decade by connecting international passengers through its Dubai hub. Emirates is also the biggest operator of Boeing Co.’s 777 long- range airliner.

Emirates has 12 Airbus A380s in its fleet, with another three to go into service by November. Deliveries will restart in September 2011, with the carrier receiving the remaining planes through November 2017.

The pace of development at Dubai airport, which last year handled 41 million passengers to rank as the 17th-busiest hub in world, was one of the main obstacles to growth, Clark said. The executive estimated that the airport, growing at about 15 percent a year, will handle as many as 100 million passengers by the end of the decade.

“There is no point trying to bring airplanes at a time when you have no place to put your passengers,” Clark said.

Second Airport

Dubai is developing a second airport, Dubai World Central- Al Maktoum International, which opened to cargo carriers in June and will start serving scheduled passenger flights in March. The government aims to make Al Maktoum the world’s busiest airport, with eventual capacity for 160 million travelers, and Emirates will shift its base there.

Al Maktoum will need 10 to 15 years before enough carriers have moved there to make it Dubai’s main airport, Clark said.

Emirates’ ability to maintain expansion may also depend in part on competitors in the Persian Gulf region that are pursuing a similar strategy, said Andrew Lobbenberg, a London-based aviation analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc.

Qatar Airways Ltd., half-owned by the state, has orders and options for more than 170 Boeing and Airbus planes to build up its base in Doha, about 235 miles (380 kilometers) west of Dubai. Etihad Airways, government-owned by Dubai’s neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi, also has expansion plans.

“A lot depends on what happens with the other Gulf carriers,” Lobbenberg said in a telephone interview. “If Dubai survives as the sole hub in the Gulf, then you could justify a more aggressive outlook.”

The expansion of the three airlines has helped boost traffic in the Middle East by 19 percent in the year to August, making it the fastest-growing region in the world this year, according to data compiled by the International Air Transport Association.

--Editors: Tom Lavell, Jerrold Colten.

source:http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-09/emirates-order-for-90-a380s-not-enough-clark-says.html

Ola Madrid!

It's finally August 1 (actually August 2). Emirates has commenced flights to Madrid (MAD) and it will be serviced by the A330 fleet. Another milestone for EK as it opens its first route to Spain which AFAIK will be followed by BCN (Barcelona). Ola Madrid indeed! I've been ecstatic since this morning to blog about this. And that's just it =)

Addt'l info:

EK has upgraded service to Beijing (PEK) by sending one of their superjumbos, the A380. Shanghai (PVG) will also be serviced by the same aircraft on 01/01/11... =)

Hopeless No More.. :)

It is true! Emirates has placed 32 more A380s on top of their 58 on order during the Berlin Airshow. They will be increasing frequencies to their current destinations and possibly adding more routes by the end of this year. With that additional operations, they are also looking for 700 pilots to cope up with the demand.

What are the odds that I won't be on one of those planes? I'm feeling a bit down lately and this is the boost I need to keep me going. Dubai will certainly be the Hub of the world and with that expansion, the possibilities are just limitless. There's a saying that good things comes to those who patiently waits-luckily, I'm very patient.

On Tuesday, a company here in Laguna will be offering me my starting salary. So I'm guessing that I passed my final interview last week. Finally, I will earn my own money but I'm still focused in achieving my true love and this will be my stepping stone. I know it's not related to the aviation industry but the work experience will somehow help me. It's a little bit funny because throughout the final interview, the words FA, Fly High (Flight High) were used by the interviewers during the interview. Could that be a sign? Honestly, my eyes lit up when I heard her said FA. I even ask what it meant but of course it's an engineering term so I really can't remember it anymore.

On A Bad Luck Streak + EK and QR New Routes

Can't think of a much better introduction than I'm winning on a bad luck lottery! I blogged about my broken pc before, but that's just the start. Two days ago I had my rubber shoes stolen in my garage. My dad had left the gate open when he went to the store to buy something. It's not him to blame, I guess it's just about timing and the robber's timing was just right. I've been taking care of that shoes for one year now. No scratch and white as if it were brand new, and the reason why I'm keeping it that way is because it's the only pair I have (so not a grab-all-the-shoes-you-want person). Oh, and that's not the only thing stolen from me. Included is a Dunhill Cigarette case with one Marlboro Lights stick in it and a lighter. Give me a break already! Last night my PDA fell as I was looking for a place with a good reception while standing on my bed. It ricocheted when it hit the floor and the result was devastating. As I turned on the power, All I can see is a vertical red line on the center of the screen and then it turned pitch black. Can you imagine the horror I'm facing last dreaded night? I guess not. Well, unless you're facing the same dilemma. I just hope that there will be a light at the end of this very very long and dark tunnel. I'm now looking for a service center that can fix my phone. It's an Imate 8502 PDA phone, so if some of you know where I can get help, please do message me or comment below this blog.

EK Update:

Emirates has announced that they will be lauching a service to Baghdad, Iraq starting on July 1. Oh boy, I'm so excited to be waken up by your daily wake-up call explosions. I sure don't mind DEADheading on that destination :)

QR Update:

Qatar Airways will be upgrading its equipment and flights to Copehnhagen (CPH) from A319 to A330 and from four times to daily service respectively. It will also begin flying to Barcelona, Spain (BCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) and Sao Paolo, Brazil (GRU) this June. QR is also studying the feasibility of adding Oslo, Norway (OSL), Sydney, Australia (SYD), and Sofia, Belgrade (SOF) to its growing list of destinations.

Looks like Qatar Airways is not far behind Emirates...

It's just a matter of time before EK announce a new route again. DUB perhaps?? Btw, CPH is also on the plan. Review my previous post.

That got me thinking... Emirates or Qatar??

Well, wait for my next post. It's Pros and Cons time :)

AWOL

As you have noticed, I've been AWOL for quite some time now. It's just my stupid desktop gave up on me. And I have no internet connection at home coz' I'm thinking of switching to Globe's kickass 1mbps connection. Anyway, I would just like to update you guys what was happening in my life this past few months.

I just graduated last Mar. 26. Hurray finally! Now I can really concentrate on job hunting and on dieting. After extending a few years on a 5 year course, my hardwork finally paid off. Hardwork? yeah right! On the 29th I decided to go back to school to accomplish my clearance, as early as possible, to avoid long lines of students queueing for precious signatures of the concerned departments. One faculty definitely gave a new meaning to "precious" when we went to get our certificates for our EPP (English Proficiency Program, required for all students). He was really being bossy to the students and keep speaking English. I mean c'mon! I don't speak good English but I can tell who's being trying hard. I swear I was controlling myself to put my fist in his effin' face! He was the Director of the Language Department but hell, he doesn't deserve the respect we could have given to him. I know he is in somewhat "high" position but that doesn't mean he can boss people around. He has to learn how to respect other people regardless of their stature. I am so relieved that I finally got this out of my system. The lesson here is, You mess with my friends, You mess with me! BTW, I was just accompanying my friends that time. and one last thing. His signature wasn't even required for the clearance! Feeling much? so much for that.

I was supposed to go to NAIA last April 5 for my application as a PSA (Passenger Service Agent) or more commonly known as Ground Staff/Attendant. Unfortunately, I was having some issues with my face. You've guessed it! Pimple! :D So I decided to postpone it for a while until I finish my facial cleaning session on friday. I should probably go on Monday before boredom takes the best of me. If I get the job (I certainly hope so), this will be my stepping stone in becoming a cabin crew. I'm giving myself 6 months to be in shape and ready for the next assessment schedules. Some people just have to start somewhere before going to much larger venture. What's keeping me hype is the fact that QR and 5J are hiring males again. Woohoo! I'm actually considering applying for Duty Free positions in DXB. Desperation is to blame! I will do anything just to get to Dubai.

Emirates Update time!!

Emirates had just started flying to NRT on March 28! and I'm so looking forward for their first flight in AMS on May 1.
A380 will be replacing daily service of T7 in MAN starting on September
blah blah blah blah.. There are so many unfinished posts saved on my inbox here at BS but I was caught in a whirlwind where I seem to procrastinate stuff.

On a Wing and a Prayer (an article from the wall street journal)

Hi fellow bloggers and readers!

I just want to share this article I read from WSJ..

When Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum realized the full extent of the emirate's financial problems it was his uncle he asked to oversee the arduous recovery process. Few people have since become as synonymous with the U.A.E.'s efforts to emerge from the most difficult chapter in its 39-year history as Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, one of Dubai's most internationally recognized businessmen and one of the most senior members of its royal family.

As head of Dubai's Supreme Fiscal Committee, Sheik Ahmed is in charge of distributing the billions of dollars of bailout money that Dubai received from Abu Dhabi. And as chairman of Emirates Group he has been at the center of rumors that Dubai's airline, along with other key assets like the huge container port in Jebel Ali, might be handed over to Abu Dhabi in return for the larger emirate's help.

Speculation about behind-the-scenes bargaining mounted in January when Sheik Mohammed shocked onlookers by renaming the world's tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa after the president of the U.A.E. just weeks after receiving more funding from Abu Dhabi.

But according to Sheik Ahmed, sitting in his modest office on the first floor of the old Terminal 1 building at Dubai International Airport, such terms were never discussed during the bailout negotiations. "We never really talked about any of our strategic companies with Abu Dhabi," he says. "I know it's always been the rumor. When you think about what Emirates has achieved I think anyone would want to have equity in it. It's a very successful business for Dubai."

Far from handing Emirates over to Abu Dhabi, or merging it with that sheikdom's own airline, Etihad, Sheik Ahmed believes the carrier can be a catalyst for Dubai's revival. Unlike other government-owned companies in the emirate—including Dubai World and Dubai Holdings—Emirates Airline is highly profitable and isn't struggling to service its debt or secure more financing from international banks for fleet expansion.

"The airline put Dubai on the world map," he says, adding that the airline's 32,000-strong workforce makes it Dubai's biggest employer. "We've put a lot into the Dubai economy. The number of units we rent within the local market, the expenditure of the staff and how much it brings people to Dubai. If it wasn't for Emirates, this market wouldn't have been able to grow as it has. It's one of the core businesses of Dubai."

Sheik Ahmed and a close-knit group of long-serving executives—including group vice-chairman Maurice Flanagan and president Tim Clark—have built the company into a global player with $55 billion of plane orders in the pipeline and the world's largest fleet of giant A380 aircraft. Emirates indirectly contributes roughly 40 billion dirhams ($10.9 billion) to Dubai's economy each year, according to Sheik Ahmed.

Running parallel to the rumor that the airline might be handed over to Abu Dhabi has been speculation that Dubai might look to sell shares through an initial public offering and raise billions of dollars in much needed funds for the emirate.

"If Emirates decided to IPO I'm sure it will be good, especially if it's placed within the U.A.E. stock markets," says Sheik Ahmed. "It will see a lot of people trading in it. I will look at it as a positive thing. But as we speak today I don't have any direction from the government to do this."

Educated at the University of Denver, Sheik Ahmed is renowned as one of Dubai's hardest-working royals. Recently, more of his time has been taken up with meetings of the Supreme Fiscal Committee. He reports to Dubai's ruler and U.A.E. prime minister, Sheik Mohammed.

"I've been doing more work for my other responsibilities recently. I feel it's my duty being responsible for the achievement of Dubai," says Sheik Ahmed. "That's why I have to give Dubai my ultimate time doing any job that my boss gives me. I'm giving my time more to what's the most important thing. It's not that the other isn't important, but Emirates is straightforward."

For the time being this means focusing on fixing Dubai's economic problems and helping to restore confidence in a city that has suffered more than any other in the Persian Gulf from both bad publicity and bad management. But, despite these problems and given the lack of reform and opportunity in other Gulf cities like Riyadh, Doha and even neighboring Abu Dhabi, Dubai has not totally lost its luster for investors and the million or so expatriates who make up the bulk of its population. Sheik Ahmed believes that Dubai should look to its past in order to plot a sustainable course for growth in the future.

He says: "Dubai as a place was well known in the region, within the Gulf and the Middle East and the emerging markets mainly due to re-exports, being a logistic hub, tourism—a place to do business from. A lot of countries see that Dubai will continue to be that place for now and even for the future."

Sheik Ahmed says the main aim of the fiscal committee is to get Dubai's economic growth back on track by refocusing efforts on the sectors that were overshadowed by real-estate speculation.

Dubai's core businesses "are logistics, services and tourism and export," he says. "This is what made Dubai move forward, not what happened in the past seven years in opening the real-estate market."

Certainly, Dubai's economic problems were triggered by the bursting of Dubai's property bubble. Prices for newly built villas and apartments are as much as 50% lower than a year ago, while government-owned developers such as Nakheel have flirted with insolvency.

Much of Dubai's real estate was financed with debt, which now must be paid back. Dubai depends heavily on funding from oil-rich Abu Dhabi, which has pumped $15 billion into the emirate since the crisis took hold shortly after Wall Street investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed in October 2008.

Sheik Ahmed's responsibilities on the committee recently took him to Washington, where he briefed Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on the steps that the emirate is taking to restructure the debts of some of its government-owned companies.

But while he concedes that there is plenty of work left to be done he is sanguine about Dubai's economic situation. "Some people think that they're not doing too well because they're taking 2007 as a benchmark, but sometimes we have to realize that you can't always achieve 30% to 40% growth," Sheik Ahmed says. "Now you have to be realistic given what is happening around the world."

WSJ please don't sue me for posting this... :D

Disconnecting myself from the rest of the world

It's been almost 3 weeks now that I don't have an internet connection at home. I'm really missing my blog friends, blogging, facebook-ing and whatsoever. I read that Emirates is hiring again and it actually started last Monday til the 29th. All of a sudden, I had the urge to try again even though I know that I will fail the screening again because of my weight. Although I lost a lot of weight, I still don't want to attend because I already changed my plans. I promised myself that I won't apply for Emirates until I'm ready. This March I will be applying as a Ground Crew at NAIA and I think it will be better for me to have enough experience before I venture into a much bigger thing. Anyway, I just have to forget that EK is hiring this month because this will not be their last for this year. :)

Oh yeah! I just need to update you guys...

EK will commence flights to Tokyo this March 28, to Amsterdam on May 1, to Prague on July 1 and Madrid on Aug 1.....

I'll update this blog the next time I log in... :P

fellow bloggers. I miss you all!

P.S.

Ate Star wants to meet us.. She's in MNL til 29th.. please leave a message on my message board... I'll give you my number...

EK to commence service to AMS starting May 1, 2010

The airline continues to blossom as it announces its 23rd route to Europe via The Netherlands. The route will be operated by a 777-200LR and ER in a daily, non-stop basis. This is the fourth new destination to be announced this year by the carrier. Durban and Luanda were launched in October and Tokyo was recently announced to commence on March 28, 2010.

Starting May 1 of next year, EK145 will depart DXB at 0825hrs and will arrive in AMS at 1330hrs. Return flight EK146 will depart AMS at 1530hrs and will arrive in DXB at 2359hrs.

The new European service comes on the back of exclusive lounge openings in DUS, HAM and MAN and extra frequencies to FCO, buidling up to a double daily in February.

EK will receive an additional 2 A380s this December and will be deployed to ICN from the 14th of December and to CDG two weeks later.