Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Yeah, absolutely agree.

Mental they have them for such short flights. Still, think they fly them to this years holiday destination - Japan.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Not so surprising to see this article in today's Gulf Times (the Qatar version of the shit Gulf News):

Dubai airport sees worst year in decade amid weaker economies


However, it's not quite that bad. It's only 'Dubai International Airport predicted passenger growth this year will be the slowest in a decade, underscoring the challenges facing the aviation industry in the region after
years of aggressive expansion.'

Growth is still expected to be 6.4%. Possibly Emirates flooding the market with cheaper flights to stay aloft is keeping the numbers up?

http://img.gulf-times.com/Content/PD...1_25217193.PDF

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Sadly they still charge from Dubai double the price as starting from (say) Manilla to LHR.

Rip off.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

The A380 is terrible for landing in business. Where the arrival airport is equipped with airbridges for both decks (most of them now), the lower deck Econ passengers start disembarking at the same time as the upper deck. On the 3-class 380s, Business passengers are held back until First is fully unloaded (and for the poor dears to gather up all their bits and bobs and doodahs without an army of servants can take some time). By the time, say, row 20 in Business gets off, half of Econ are already ahead in the immigration queue. That is the big drawback of the 380 for Business. Even on the two class 380s, even when the crew have figured out the protocol of letting upper deck Business off before upper deck Econ, the lower deck disgorges its hordes much faster so you are still behind a crowd. For this reason, on certain routes, I prefer the 777 even with the horrible 7-across inclined lie-flat seats with the psychopathic footrests.

And Birmingham is a pretty busy route - routinely find business full. It is exactly the kind of route for which EK introduced the (awful) 2-class 380.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Word is Hogan is already back in Oz having being detained for several days in AD while certain reported "irregularities" were investigated. Whether real or fabricated, they will certainly be key factors in the severance negotiation no doubt...

Anyway, he won't be missed by most EY staff, nor his lovely wife from what I hear...

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

even more so when they are using them from Dubai to Doha!

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Emirates used to run 2 flights a day to lagos and 4 times a week to Abuja. Flights were always packed. Now they've canned the Abuja flights and cut Lagos to 1 a day.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Dxb-bham is a highly variable route. Sometimes the 380s are packed full. Often they can't fill the 777s. It's a feeder route for Pakistanis going between homes so is tied to Islamic holidays and cheap flight brummie tourists about to be raped by the beer prices in Dubai.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

The EK pilot group on PPrNe make for entertaining (and concerning, given the hours the guys are working) reading. EY discussion was banned after a threat of legal action against the site. Qatar seem a bit happier in general. As mentioned above, it looks like EK have gone crazy ordering too many A380s and now they're saddled with the overcapacity and costs. Vanity project? Knighthood for Sir Tim Clarke? The A380 is a money earner on busy routes between major airports with capacity problems, not so much shuffling between DOH and DXB.

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

He was doing a presentation in a bank in AD on Thursday. Looking for his next role. I would be gone in his shoes.:lol:

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Did he leave the bank and do a 'presentation' at the police station as well?

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

There are whispers...

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

I was merely being facetious....

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Ha ha, been gonne for a long while and had to recalbibrate my brain. Getcha ;)

Re: Problems at the gulf airlines ??
 

Well it's certainly nice to see your username back posting.:thumbup: