Trump's focus is manufacturing not coddling pilot unions that'll have jobs regardless. They may end up having to fly with someone else. We common folk that just want to travel at reasonable prices have heard about pilot shortages, ect, ect, ect and then we hear about impending doom if there's competition. It doesn't equal up.

Maybe Delta and others need to show some more US Made metal love like taking those 787 frames before bitching about Norwegian that's buying planes from solid Trump Country (South Carolina and Alabama)assembly lines.

I think the pilots here are going to pound sand. Too many airports want flights from Norweigian and the like

Pilots have the dough to make significant campaign contributions. If they do, Trump will stomp on EK. Just watch.

rbavfan wrote:

behramjee wrote:

Are AMD bound pax forecasted to take this more convenient option as the airport is closer to their homes in New Jersey or will they take the one stop option via JFK?

Why are AMD passengers assumed to be closer to home at Newark?

There is a large South Asian community in New Jersey a large proportion of which are Gujarati. Thus AI operates one flight AMD-LHR-EWR due to large Gujarati populations in London and New Jersey.

I must say, does anybody find this article odd? So, you have HuffPo which is very much left leaning, pro-free trade, and anti-Trump literally goading Trump with "a Sharp Poke in the Eye" by Emirates and demanding "It’s time for the new administration to act." This is from the same news source ridiculing TPP being dropped and the trade war brewing with Mexico and possibly China. How can they be so pro-trade and yet when it comes to airlines they are extremely protectionist? Any explanations of that? It seems like an article that should have run in Breitbart, but I don't think they have even weighed in on this. Also, this doofus writer is unaware there is basically zero evidence that Emirates is even a little bit subsidized.

Emirates’ recent announcement that they would begin nonstop flights from Newark to Athens on March 12 struck many Washington aviation experts as remarkably bold, something like an “in your face” to the Trump administration, which has promised to put U.S. companies and their workers first. I don’t know much about Washington political strategy, but I do know airlines, and Emirates’ Athens route is yet another example of how that massively subsidized carrier is breaking the rules and distorting airline competition.

It’s pretty strange that Emirates would announce this new Athens route — yet another, and certainly flagrant, violation of the U.S.-UAE Open Skies Agreement — just as President Trump takes office. It almost seems like a dare; Emirates and the UAE may come to regret it.

It’s time for the new administration to act.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-britt ... 22116.html

Looking at his past HuffPo articles, 50+% are bashing Emirates. I guess he is bought and paid for. Just odd that HuffPo is printing his stuff when it seems to go against their core political message.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/rob-britton

DCAfan wrote:

If the US-UAE bilateral agreement is renounced by Trump, capacity will be frozen for Emiirates, Etihad, and FedEx. Demand will shift to other carriers.

If the US-UAE bilateral agreement is renounced by Trump, the biggest hit will** be to UPS and FedEX with both their Middle East and Africa distribution centre situated in Dubai.

DCAfan wrote:

Pilots have the dough to make significant campaign contributions. If they do, Trump will stomp on EK. Just watch.

/

And what is with the pilots flying for UPS and FedEx?

Now crankyflier has picked up this news. Are they crazy or playing with fire crankyflier asks. Also crankyflier noted that any connections in ATH would not be with a single ticket.

I don't mean to be a broken record. I don't think UA or DL will have a negative impact. There are plenty of customers going to ATH in the summer and plenty connecting in EWR/JFK. The negative impact will be on EK that will be flying the rest of the year with few customers. The press release stated that the Greek government wanted a carrier to do year round service.

http://crankyflier.com/2017/01/24/emira ... ns-flight/

Looks like politics may be trying to get in the way of this launch: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03 ... light.html

I hope this flight can launch without a hitch.

klwright69 wrote:

Well, I would like to point out a few things. The EK flight times are not suited for connections at all. This is not a great thing for them, or maybe they don't even care. Is EK partnering with anybody or not?

EK has two partner carriers in the USA......One is Alaska, which has SEA and PDX to EWR. However, roughly a 7-hour layover in EWR.

The other is JetBlue......they do have an operation in EWR. But you can feed BOS and a few Florida destinations, but that's about it. And of course their large operation at JFK, but then you have to reclaim and take ground transportation.

Wished EK had more flights from HYD.HYD seems to be so left out in terms of routes.It is only BOM&DEL that take away the chunk.

Regards
-Pramod

The Newark-ATH route is about to start. Here is another article, where Kirky discusses the importance of this route.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/20 ... a8a2a6649c

climbing230 wrote:

Wished EK had more flights from HYD.HYD seems to be so left out in terms of routes.It is only BOM&DEL that take away the chunk.

Regards
-Pramod

They would if they could. The bilateral doesn't allow for more flights and has been maxed out for years.

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch

United Airlines announced Wednesday that its employees, along with several members of Congress, would stage a protest on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The protest, which United and its unions expect to draw between 150 and 200 people, is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nast ... 07135.html

Well, at least it got UA and it's union members on common ground and set positive tone for next CBA?

Ammad wrote:

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch
The protest, today,12 March,is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

Athens,"The Apple of Discord"! If you value it,upgrade your service,baby (vegetable puree as if we were infants) and put a better airplane. I say,do you think you own the schedule? Open Skies was your invention,after all. What a bunch of whiners!

Ammad wrote:

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch

United Airlines announced Wednesday that its employees, along with several members of Congress, would stage a protest on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The protest, which United and its unions expect to draw between 150 and 200 people, is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nast ... 07135.html

I somehow don't understand the logic behind it. United is cutting and cancelling so many EU flights. Now EK offers a nonstop flight from Greece to EWR and United (employees) are protesting. Where is United in Athens? I can't see them, not until June. Before starting to moan they should fly ATH yearround, or just let things proceed.

It would be something different if EK also flew summer only. That would be cherry picking. But they do offer a yearround service, which UA doesn't.

Anyone agree with the 1,500 jobs per flight statement?

Tuesday's letter estimated that "for every long-haul route lost or foregone as a result of subsidized Gulf carrier competition, more than 1,500 American jobs are lost."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03 ... light.html

I did some pricing and scheduling exercises in Sabre and the EK flight does make good and competitively priced onward connections on Aegean and a few others carriers to various European locations

As far as Trump goes, I'm skeptical he cracks down on the ME3 in the way the US3 want.

1) He's good friends with QR's Akbar Al Baker. Qatar Airways used to have an office in Trump Tower at one point.
2) Trump's son in law and advisor, Jared Kushner (who many refer to as the de-facto Secretary of State), is particularly close with Arab diplomats--but especially the UAE's Ambassador to the US.
3) He's seemed to defer to Boeing thus far. In fact, some Republicans in Congress have been frustrated that, so far, Trump has not targeted Boeing's order with IranAir. We all know Boeing cares about its large orders from EK, EY, and QR.

Not this again! is it just me or does the US airlines having a go at the ME airlines not smell of hypocrisy, after all most US airlines have been through bankruptcy protection at one time or another.

Freshside3 wrote:

EK has two partner carriers in the USA......One is Alaska, which has SEA and PDX to EWR. However, roughly a 7-hour layover in EWR.

The other is JetBlue......they do have an operation in EWR. But you can feed BOS and a few Florida destinations, but that's about it. And of course their large operation at JFK, but then you have to reclaim and take ground transportation

This flight is aimed almost totally on O/D traffic & I bet it will do well. I don't think connections are of as much interest to EK with this particular flight.

Ammad wrote:

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch

United Airlines announced Wednesday that its employees, along with several members of Congress, would stage a protest on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The protest, which United and its unions expect to draw between 150 and 200 people, is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nast ... 07135.html

What a shame, it makes UA look petty, especially with a mere 200 participants & it won't mean anything to any carriers passengers, who will mostly fail to grasp even the most basic understanding of what is going on & why angry UA flight attendants are yelling about taking a cheap fare to Europe.

If UA is so worried about it, have them offer the competition in the form of a daily 777, offering low fares, a decent Y service & do it daily, with a offering of 4 cabins, allowing a broad range of affordability for their passengers.

DLHAM wrote:

Ammad wrote:

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch

United Airlines announced Wednesday that its employees, along with several members of Congress, would stage a protest on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The protest, which United and its unions expect to draw between 150 and 200 people, is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nast ... 07135.html

I somehow don't understand the logic behind it. United is cutting and cancelling so many EU flights. Now EK offers a nonstop flight from Greece to EWR and United (employees) are protesting. Where is United in Athens? I can't see them, not until June. Before starting to moan they should fly ATH yearround, or just let things proceed.

It would be something different if EK also flew summer only. That would be cherry picking. But they do offer a yearround service, which UA doesn't.

Easter also is the biggest holiday in Greece, too. People also go then. You would think that somebody in North America would have service in time for that. DL is only starting on Good Friday.....and neither UA nor AA, nor the Rogues up north would have started it in time for the holiday.

Freshside3 wrote:

DLHAM wrote:

Ammad wrote:

The nastiest feud in the airline industry has reached a fever pitch

United Airlines announced Wednesday that its employees, along with several members of Congress, would stage a protest on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The protest, which United and its unions expect to draw between 150 and 200 people, is in reaction to the inaugural flight of Emirates' new daily service between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens, Greece.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/nast ... 07135.html

I somehow don't understand the logic behind it. United is cutting and cancelling so many EU flights. Now EK offers a nonstop flight from Greece to EWR and United (employees) are protesting. Where is United in Athens? I can't see them, not until June. Before starting to moan they should fly ATH yearround, or just let things proceed.

It would be something different if EK also flew summer only. That would be cherry picking. But they do offer a yearround service, which UA doesn't.

Easter also is the biggest holiday in Greece, too. People also go then. You would think that somebody in North America would have service in time for that. DL is only starting on Good Friday.....and neither UA nor AA, nor the Rogues up north would have started it in time for the holiday.

Just had a look at the DL services. I knew that Delta was serving Athens seasonal. Thinking of a seasonal flight, one would think of like a daily 763. But two daily A330(!) on JFK-ATH? Wow. And not even 4 or 5 weekly flights in winter?

But with EK entering the Market, one will see if Delta still Fan make those two A330s work.

klwright69 wrote:

The negative impact will be on EK that will be flying the rest of the year with few customers. The press release stated that the Greek government wanted a carrier to do year round service.

When Olympic closed down it was good for other airlines in the name of healthy competition. Five weekly A340s in low season, usually filled to capacity-where did all that traffic go? To other European carriers who supplemented their passenger loads.Emirates will gradually fill its airplane with that lost traffic.

Bob Patterson wrote:

It is estimated that "for every long-haul route lost or foregone as a result of subsidized Gulf carrier competition,more than 1500 American jobs are lost"

Half the employees of OA were seasonal staff and when they gradually lost their jobs during the transition from Olympic Airlines to Olympic Air (a mere shadow of its predecessor) they could not even protest.It was all done smoothly by the (now deceased) broker...
When Pan Am was in serious trouble and had to sell its Pacific Division to United,a disconcerted JAL executive said: "United is not poor Pan Am.It can offer a package holiday to anywhere in the USA".And when JAL had to relinquish its traditional "rights" due to Open Skies (such as always being granted priority for take off and assigned the best air corridors) it was United's turn to say: "Now we'll see why they have been successful; because they were good or because they were protected".History repeats itself. So may I reiterate that Emirates is not the troubled Olympic.They will serve in economy what United serves in business and will fill their plane with the traffic that once belonged to OA and I will be happy to see that.

BobPatterson wrote:

Anyone agree with the 1,500 jobs per flight statement?

Tuesday's letter estimated that "for every long-haul route lost or foregone as a result of subsidized Gulf carrier competition, more than 1,500 American jobs are lost."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03 ... light.html

That is not correct. US3 in the past used 800 number per ULH route. Long haul with one set crew and less rest, number should be significantly lower. And they will add up employees of every diner in the vicinity.

enilria wrote:

[...]How can they be so pro-trade and yet when it comes to airlines they are extremely protectionist?[...]

In order not to go too far off-topic, I won't try to come up with any kind of explanation. Instead, I would just like to direct your attention on an anecdotal parallel constellation.

In Canada, the Justin Trudeau government frenetically celebrates globalisation and is keen to do its utmost to pave the way for unlimited free trade. They perpetually pampered those infamous treaties like TPP and CETA.

But at the other hand, they rigidly adhere to the extremely restricted Canada-UAE bilateral ASA which does not permit more than 6 flights per week from either side.

Two questions:

1. Did anyone count the pax getting off the first Dubai-Athens-Newark flight?

2. Is there anything to prevent Emirates from flying enough USA-bound passengers on the Dubai-Athens leg to then complete filling the plane for the Athens-Newark leg?

It seems to me that could be one way to offer Athens year-round service without worrying about low-season volumes at Athens.