Arts Publications

Company Watch - Emirates Airlines

Airguide Online, August 27, 2007

Aug 27, 2007

Emirates announced that it will launch a second daily service to Shanghai on February 1, 2008. Emirates currently has three daily flights from New York's JFK to Dubai, providing convenient connections for Americans traveling to Dubai and onward to Shanghai or other destinations. Emirates' daily Dubai-Shanghai service will be served by the airline's wide-bodied, plush Airbus A340-300 with 267 seats in a three-class configuration - 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 213 in Economy - offering about 14.5 tons of cargo capacity. On Tuesdays, the service will be operated by an Airbus A330-200, with 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 183 in Economy. Emirates currently operates a Boeing 777-300ER daily to Shanghai with 364 seats in a three-class configuration - 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 310 in Economy - and nearly 25.5 tons of belly-hold capacity. Aug 23, 2007

Emirates to launch Newcastle-Dubai flights with economy fare sale. Emirates begins its Newcastle-Dubai route from the end of next week (September 1), and to celebrate the carrier is offering reduced economy fares for those booking up to the launch date. Aug 23, 2007

Boeing declines to comment on the status of talks with Emirates, saying only that it is in "active discussion with approximately 15 airlines worldwide over the 747-8". Other potential orders for the 747-8 passenger and cargo versions are under discussion with Asian carriers including Cathay Pacific Airways and China Airlines, which both have evaluations under way. The latter is understood to be the closest to a decision, with a deal expected by year-end, while Cathay Pacific is not expected to finalize its plans until early next year. Sources say that the 747-8I is a serious contender at British Airways, where it is head to head with the Airbus A380 to replace the airline's older Boeing 747-400s. A decision is expected to be announced in the autumn. Aug 20, 2007

Boeing is in discussions with key new potential customers, including Emirates, about 747-8 orders, with the airline understood to be closing on a major deal for the -8 Intercontinental passenger version. According to industry sources, Boeing is confident it is close to securing additional airline orders for the 747-8I in the coming months to add to the sole existing deal from Lufthansa for 20 aircraft. More deals for the 747-8 Freighter are also imminent, say sources. Aug 20, 2007

Emirates, which has orders for 10 Boeing 747-8Fs for its cargo arm, has been in long-running talks with Boeing about a deal for the passenger version. Although the airline is Airbus's largest customer for the ultra-large Airbus A380 with 47 on order, it has a need for a 400 seater for certain long-haul routes. Chances of an early Emirates 747-8I deal were dropped last year when the airframer traded range for capacity and stretched the aircraft slightly, as this prevented it from being able to operate Emirates' planned Dubai-Los Angeles route with a viable payload. However, industry sources say that an Emirates 747-8I deal is back on, with the airline in talks for up to 20 aircraft and November's Dubai air show seen as the likely venue for any announcement. Aug 20, 2007

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