Emirates is still expanding quite happily and have confirmed the launch of a second service to Glasgow, whilst re-gauging the other service it operates to the city.

By doing this, Emirates will introduce 3-Class service to Glasgow and operate a daytime and evening flight to Emriates, with a night-time and morning arrival into Dubai. The new service will be make the Glasgow to Dubai link “double daily”.

The new service shapes up as below from 1st July 2012.

EK027 DEPART DXB 0750    ARRIVE GLA 12:35  - OPERATES DAILY - 777-300ER
EK025 DEPART DXB 1450    ARRIVE GLA 20:00  - OPERATES DAILY - A340-300   

EK028 DEPART GLA 14:15   ARRIVE DXB 00:40+1 - OPERATES DAILY - 777-300ER
EK025 DEPART DXB 1450    ARRIVE GLA 08:00+1 - OPERATES DAILY - A340-300

As you’ll note, two different bits of equipment depending what flight you choose or need.

Emirates will be running Boeing 777-300ER’s and Airbus A340-300′s – so depending on the comfort levels you like in which class may dictate which flight you choose. Most importantly, these will be 3 class birds which might be important in the facilities or how packed the plane will be:

• A340-300′s (3 Class) operate
• 2 x 2 x 2 in First,
• 2 x 3 x 2 in Business,
•  2 x 4 x 2 in Economy
• B777-300ER’s (3 Class) operate
• 2 x 2 x 2 in First,
•  2 x 3 x 2 in Business,
• 3 x 4 x 3 in Economy

Which one is better will depend on your times and connections – and in my humble opinion – if you’re stuck down the back.

Timetables are loaded already – expect them to show up in the GDS’s sooner rather than later.

Well, it’s Saturday, so it must be time to the paint gun out as Emirates demonstrate how one of their A380′s gets painted (Video – Airbus S.A.R.L.).

More aircraft repainting will be winging it’s way to you next week!

The shy and retiring airline that’s known as Emirates has decided to upscale it’s operations to London again, and have disposed of a 777 and switched it to… an A380.

Flight EK29/30 from the 24th of January 2012 will go A380, adding more capacity on the run, and from the timings, perfect connection timings for some of their other Eastbound services

For those interested in the Emirates service, here are the timings of it’s London<>Dubai service, with equipment listed:

Dubai to London Heathrow from 24th January 2012

EK007 DEPART DXB 03:10      ARRIVE LHR 07:05 - B777-300
EK001 DEPART DXB 07:45      ARRIVE LHR 11:35 - A380
EK029 DEPART DXB 09:40      ARRIVE LHR 13:30 - A380 from January 24, 2012, B777-300 until then
EK003 DEPART DXB 14:30      ARRIVE LHR 18:15 - A380
EK005 DEPART DXB 16:30      ARRIVE LHR 20:15 - B777-300

All times local

London Heathrow to Dubai from 24th January 2012

EK008 DEPART LHR 09:10      ARRIVE DXB 20:00   - B773
EK002 DEPART LHR 13:35      ARRIVE DXB 00:25+1 - A380
EK030 DEPART LHR 16:35      ARRIVE DXB 03:25+1 - A380 from January 24, 2012, B777-300 until then
EK004 DEPART LHR 20:15      ARRIVE DXB 07:00+1 - A380
EK006 DEPART LHR 22:00      ARRIVE DHX 08:45+1 - B773

All times local

In a way, it’s good to see their demand is still sky-rocketing, but in another way, this is starting to smell like… capacity dumping.  That’s an awful lot of seats to fill on a short 6:45 leg…

Emirates have kicked off the Dubai Airshow in style, with an order from Boeing for a grand total of 50 (Yes, 50) Boeing 777-300ER’s

At list, the order is worth $18 Billion. Knowing Emirates, they probably got a knock-down on that price.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and CEO of Emirates states

“The 777′s reliability, performance and operating economics have firmly established it as the backbone of our fleet,”

The order makes it the largest order it has made for Boeing Aircraft.  Emirates state that they wish to

 ”expand our long haul destinations and continue to excel as a world leading carrier, connecting the world to Dubai and beyond”.

So yes, I think we can guess what Emirates is going to do with these birds – replace older birds when their time comes, and swap out with newer aircraft when ready.

And again – this stamps the solidity of the 777-300ER programme, and how it competes against it’s own 747-8I programme.

Emirates is gearing up for a new route – to Dublin Ireland.

Commencing on 9th January 2012, the route will operate:

DEPT DXB 07:00     ARR DUB 11:30

DEPT DUB 12:55     ARR DXB 00:25+1

Times are local
Booked Equipment: Airbus A330-200 with First, Business and Economy Class.

Now before all you Emirates fans get too excited, you’ll notice the magic equipment up the top. And this makes an important difference if you look at http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Emirates_Airlines/Emirates_Airlines_Airbus_A330-200_3class.php

Whilst you won’t get a shower, in First, the plane is configured in 2 x 2 x 2 seats across (Two on the left, two in the middle, two on the right), which for an international First Class seat isn’t that great. What’s worse is if you go into business, it’s a tight 2 x 3 x 2 across

On the plus side, if you are travelling in the Premium classes – or any class on a long haul leg with Emirates, you will avoid UK Government Air Passenger Duty. Which on some routes/classes is £170 a person per flight!

So it’s a mixed blessing. Dread the thought that Emirates can pull passengers in – and deploy a 777 out to Dublin with better seats in the Premium classes…

It seems what some considered as “little things” are making airlines lock down quickly.

Three people made verbal threats on the plane as it was taxing at Heathrow. The plane was brought back to stand, and Police swarmed on board. These people were arrested, and the plane brought back onto Heathrow T3, with armed police and sniffer dogs checking the plane out.  Other Heathrow operations were unaffected.

It seems that some people made the mistake of getting drunk before getting on board a plane….

In addition there have been incidents of planes being diverted inflight due to threats made “under the influence”.

In other words – go easy on the drink people!

It’s Friday, and I’ve been under the weather with a cold, so lets do a roundup before I go for another bucket full of lemsip…

Qantas – From Bad to Worse to Bad

Qantas is having one hell of a rough time it seems, with the latest traffic numbers down again by 1.4% year on year. Things are slowly improving, but it’s a hard road for the flying Kangaroo

TUI Group cancels 10 787′s – swaps firms for options

TUI Travel cancel 10 of its 23 787 orders, but instead swaps it for 13 options, leading to a possible 13+13 fleet of them.  Originally part of the First Choice TravelGroup order, TUI group took these on when they merged with First Choice.

TUI insist they’re committed to the 787,  however, there is going to have to be a management of expectation of the project, and containment of costs – however good the fit of the aircraft.


BA’s Baby Bus goes back n forth across the Pond

BA1 and BA2 have successfully come to life, forming the London City – New York service. Good luck for this service, and lets hope the numbers are good to support it over the coming year.

US Carriers shore up the cash

It seems if what AA can do with getting cash, everyone else can. United, Airtran, Delta and US Airways have been issuing stocks and shoring up cash to improve day to day liquidity.

Air China – Double Digit Growth 

August was a good month for Air China – with 29% growth in traffic which includes 11% international traffic growth with load factors at 81.6%.

Pretty good work in this climate – however what is the fiscal numbers mixing in with those growth numbers? They haven’t been released alas.

Emirates – the road to the higher density A380

November is going to be an interesting time to Emirates as they recivie the first of their High density 517 seater A380′s (for those who collect numbers MSN007 – one of the test units which had Rolls Royce Engines – now with Engine Alliance GP7200′s) – with some of the crew rest areas removed.  Of course this is for routes under the 12 hour marker.

Knowing Emirates alas, that assignment will accidental move around.

The 600 seater versions for Indian subcontinent hops has been put on hold for now.  One less packed sardine can to worry about in that case.

Jetstar respec’s A330-200′s – goes for High Gross Weight. 

Jetstar (Qantas) is specificing slightly different A330-200′s to everyone else and are going for the High Gross Weight (HGW).  Launched by Korean air, these aircraft have an extra payload space for cargo (3.4 tonnes) or more range (610Km).

Perhaps slightly worrying for Boeing is the lack of availability and delays to the 787 project lead JetStar towards Airbus..

Frontier exit Chapter 11 – Formally a Republic Airline.

Frontier – the airline with the animals on the tails – has successfully exited Chapter 11 protection and is formally part of the Republic Airlines Holdings.

It’s good to see some survivors out there. Republic seems to have a winner on it’s hands if they can manage it..

It’s Saturday, so it’s time to look at the commercial aviation world with raised eyebrows and see what’s going on this week. (Apologies for the delays – call it sleep)

Qantas – No Upturn just yet

Qantas report that don’t expect an upturn in traffic, with a 88% drop in profits for the first half of the year.

Seems that Kangaroo is going to have to do some more bouncing to get those numbers up.

BBC News

JAL Bail Out

See Thursday’s Entry entry. Still not good for JAL and its staff at all..

Flight, BBC News


United sends more SkyWest Capacity to new markets – More CRJ action ahead!

United has announced new regional routes. they are:

Chicago-Duluth,
Chicago-Minnesota
Chicago-Ashville, North Carolina.
Denver-Midland, Texas
Denver-Louisville, Kentucky.
Los Angeles-El Paso, Texas.

Expect a fight when the lo-co’s find out…

United, Flight

Emirates is reconsidering the A350 and A330-300. 

After dropping the last order for A350′s and A330′s, Emirates is reconsidering the market position and maybe re-igniting the order with Airbus.

With the planned new Dubai International, capacity is going to be key, and as many seats as can cram into a plane is really going to be important…

Meanwhile in the other side of the UAE…
(Flight)

An UAE A330-200 Tanker… that will be… an Eithad aircraft?

Well as the Multi Role Tanker is coming along, the UAE are fitting the aircraft with a standard Eithad aircraft two class layout, IFE and galleys.

Well it’s a way of prepping an aircraft for service…

Flight

BA to charge for seats

See the post below. Oh dear BA. What next? Charging for luggage?

Air Canada wants gets Jazzy in Toronto.

Seems that Air Canada Jazz has finally been rattled by the small upstart Porter Airlines, and is planning to restart services into Toronto City Centre Airport. As contracts and legal ramblings conclude – things may look up.


Boeing begins 787 wing mod work whilst 747-8F on targert. 

In reasonable news, Boeing has finally begun work on the wing on frame ZA001 as well as the static frame ZA997 to modify the wing structure. Estimated time to complete is 3 months with a target time of an end of year flight.

Meanwhile, the 747-8F is inching closer to the flightline as it’s build and testing is going on schedule, with a move estimated for mid-October – in other words, a strong chance it flying before the 787..

Oh well. At least it’s progress on the 787 project. It’s still going to annoy the airlines  for the delays to the aircraft…


Flight

It’s that time of week again – and to celebrate EK thinking about sending an A380 to BHX, here’s one of their 777-300 birds landing at the very same airport.

Welcome to GhettoIFE.com!

I’m your host – Kevin – and I’ll be here to guide you through the maze of modern travel, and hopefully add some insightful comment and humour.

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