Emirates

[Kevin Farnell]

I rang Emirates on Friday and complained about the transit time being 6.5 hours instead of just over 2 hours. They said that they would only offer hotel accommodation if the transit time was over 8 hours. I was only asking for lounge access which they would not consider!

I don't know how things have changed since, but some years ago (actually 12 years ago this month, I think), my Dad and I flew BHX - SYD with Emirates in economy (a once daily service back then on an A330, from BHX - DXB). We had an 8 hour stopover at DXB and were therefore allocated a hotel room each.
The problem was that the hotel was 'landside', requiring us to clear customs. Along with this and finding the bus stop outside the terminal, took well over an hour. Nationals of UAE continually pushed in at the front of the bus queue, to the point an announcement was made that the airport hotel was full. Eventually, we ended up on a minibus on a 45 minute trip across Dubai to another hotel (somewhat scary, to be taken somewhere unknown, in an unfamiliar city and by an unknown driver).
When we arrived at the hotel, we were asked to hand in our Passports and then sat in the lobby for a good hour while we were 'processed'.
Realising that we had to check in at least 2 hours prior to departure, it dawned on us that we would have 1.5 to 2 hours in the hotel room before having to set off back to the airport.
We asked for our Passports back and to be returned to the airport. This was done without any problem.
Along with myself and my Dad, there was a couple, who had also travelled from BHX and chose to return to the airport.
On the journey, we chatted about asking Emirates to provide us with a meal in lieu of a room.
I'm not sure what the gentleman did for a living, but he said 'leave the talking to me'. To Emirates credit, we were soon issued with meal vouchers for a very nice restaurant within the terminal.
All four of us agreed that a pot of tea would be wonderful. When we asked, the waiter said that they only serve tea at breakfast.
Our new friend went straight back to the Emirates desk and soon returned, with an Emirates member of staff, who told the waiter in no uncertain terms that 'if our customers request tea, you will serve them tea!'
With a few hours to kill before our onwards flight, we found a lounge (this was not a business class or paid for facility), with reclined seating and subdued lighting. It was on a first come, first served basis but it did not take long for my Dad and myself to find a couple of seats next to each other.

Sorry that's been a little long, but in summary is an 8 hour stopover long enough to make use of a hotel? Things may have changed since, but if it still requires clearing customs and at least a 2 hour check in then maybe not.

That said, I can't fault the service that Emirates provided when we returned to the airport.

Kevin

 

[JF57]

I don't know how things have changed since, but some years ago (actually 12 years ago this month, I think), my Dad and I flew BHX - SYD with Emirates in economy (a once daily service back then on an A330, from BHX - DXB). We had an 8 hour stopover at DXB and were therefore allocated a hotel room each.
The problem was that the hotel was 'landside', requiring us to clear customs. Along with this and finding the bus stop outside the terminal, took well over an hour. Nationals of UAE continually pushed in at the front of the bus queue, to the point an announcement was made that the airport hotel was full. Eventually, we ended up on a minibus on a 45 minute trip across Dubai to another hotel (somewhat scary, to be taken somewhere unknown, in an unfamiliar city and by an unknown driver).
When we arrived at the hotel, we were asked to hand in our Passports and then sat in the lobby for a good hour while we were 'processed'.
Realising that we had to check in at least 2 hours prior to departure, it dawned on us that we would have 1.5 to 2 hours in the hotel room before having to set off back to the airport.
We asked for our Passports back and to be returned to the airport. This was done without any problem.
Along with myself and my Dad, there was a couple, who had also travelled from BHX and chose to return to the airport.
On the journey, we chatted about asking Emirates to provide us with a meal in lieu of a room.
I'm not sure what the gentleman did for a living, but he said 'leave the talking to me'. To Emirates credit, we were soon issued with meal vouchers for a very nice restaurant within the terminal.
All four of us agreed that a pot of tea would be wonderful. When we asked, the waiter said that they only serve tea at breakfast.
Our new friend went straight back to the Emirates desk and soon returned, with an Emirates member of staff, who told the waiter in no uncertain terms that 'if our customers request tea, you will serve them tea!'
With a few hours to kill before our onwards flight, we found a lounge (this was not a business class or paid for facility), with reclined seating and subdued lighting. It was on a first come, first served basis but it did not take long for my Dad and myself to find a couple of seats next to each other.

Sorry that's been a little long, but in summary is an 8 hour stopover long enough to make use of a hotel? Things may have changed since, but if it still requires clearing customs and at least a 2 hour check in then maybe not.

That said, I can't fault the service that Emirates provided when we returned to the airport.

Kevin

Indeed we only wanted them to consider providing lounge access for our 6.5 hours. As you say even for 8 hours a room in an hotel can be tight time wise.
It was Emirates who went straight to we only offer the hotel room over 8 hours.

 

[User001]

Seems the 3rd daily gets cut from 7th June instead of 30th August.

EK really cutting its capacity across the board. Interesting times, as I wonder if this could boost any direct routes chances against a 'weaker' Emirates?

 

[nwoody2001]

Saw this on twitter ...still bookable however?! Only time will tell...

 

[Coathanger16]

https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2017/05/05/emirates-cuts-birmingham-flights/

 

[Brum X]

Seems the 3rd daily gets cut from 7th June instead of 30th August.

EK really cutting its capacity across the board. Interesting times, as I wonder if this could boost any direct routes chances against a 'weaker' Emirates?

 

[Jerry]

Wonder if it could mean the likes of Qatar and Etihad upgrading to A350's or 777's or 789's?

 

[Brummiegem]

Wonder if it could mean the likes of Qatar and Etihad upgrading to A350's or 777's or 789's?

A service by Etihad would be nice,let alone an upgrade!!!
Joking apart,looking at the figures for the passengers using the service would suggest that there is room for another service/airline.
The right size aircraft will be crucial though.Having B777s as your smallest aircraft available,even in low density configuration would be pushing it.EK consider it a waste of an aircraft due to the lack of First class customers from BHX.
We now wait and see if someone makes a move.
My money is on Qatar doing something.Either using a larger aircraft,or maybe a slight increase in frequency is my guess.

 

[nwoody2001]

well I don't know if Routes got it wrong but this is what the EK Website suggests....

2x daily from May 1st until May 31st (we knew)
3x daily from June 1st until June 6th (as planned)
2x daily from June 7th until June 30th (as expected as often a low season)
3x daily from July 1st until August 30th (Summer Peak)
2x daily from 1st September onwards...lets pray we go 2x A380....

unless things are still changing....

 

[Barry Beeth]

For what it's worth, my money is on EK doing 2 x A380 and QR going 11pw on the 788...

 

[Jerry]

A service by Etihad would be nice,let alone an upgrade!!!

I forgot they don't fly to BHX! It could be an opportunity for them to launch an A330 200 service or for Qatar to go A350 a couple of times a week.

 

[Ray Finkle]

well I don't know if Routes got it wrong but this is what the EK Website suggests....

2x daily from May 1st until May 31st (we knew)
3x daily from June 1st until June 6th (as planned)
2x daily from June 7th until June 30th (as expected as often a low season)
3x daily from July 1st until August 30th (Summer Peak)
2x daily from 1st September onwards...lets pray we go 2x A380....

unless things are still changing....

That certainly makes sense.

June is as much the low season as May and they'd be handing the pax on a platter to Qatar, Turkish etc if they cancelled the peak school holidays.

For what it's worth, my money is on EK doing 2 x A380 and QR going 11pw on the 788...

I'll go for that

 

[58terminus]

June is as much the low season as May and they'd be handing the pax on a platter to Qatar, Turkish etc if they cancelled the peak school holidays.

Looking on the bright side handing passengers to Turkish might be a good thing for the airport judging by recent stats.

 

[Brum X]

So could we have a situation where they will keep the flight numbers (3rd Daily flight) for BHX and operate the 3rd flight on an ad-hoc basis ??

 

[TM3]

Qatar, Etihad are like for like substitutes for Emirates, however a lot of the passengers flying Emirates are connecting to destinations that aren't in the Middle East or India, they are going to places like SE Asia and Australasia.

If anyone stepped in to pick up where Emirates drop off capacity it would be good if it was Singapore or Cathay as they offer other better connections and O&D routes. These hubs providers are well represented at Heathrow amongst the top routes and they are now growing at MAN too.

A lot of this business also historically went through these airlines before Emirates were on the scene.

For me once a long haul flight goes daily there is a diminishing return from offering additional frequencies, particularly if the times are already optimal for connections etc, more direct destinations are better.

Maybe now would be be a good time to push for flights from SQ and CX?

 

[BHXsupporter]

I would agree but then I have always hoped that both airlines have been courted for the past few years by an ever more professional BHX team. Now surely is the time though, as you say TM3, with evidence that airport use is growing to market the opportunity to them (perhaps citing that they can take the opportunity ahead of the other airline since all is fair in love and war!), particularly if figures can show that this has included long-haul switching from LHR or MAN to BHX when services are provided. I would definitely use Hong Kong or Singapore both for business and leisure flights.

 

[David_itl]

The problem of getting CX or SQ into BHX in the short-term is the lack of spare aircraft for both airlines. However, I just wonder about Scoot being something that may be achievable relatively easily as they look into European operations?

Although anticipating EK going double daily A380 would be a more than ample replacement, I do wonder why they choose this for BHX granted having 3 daily flights fits more easily into 3 banks of departures at DXB and a better transfer experience.

 

[jfy1999]

There is a rumour going around that BHX will be 2x daily A388 from March 25 next year which sounds plausible given they first introduced the A388 around that time of year in 2016.

 

[CL44]

I really hope this stays just a rumour. Cargo uplift will take a real hit if this comes true. As good as the A380 is for passengers it will be a really big drop in cargo capacity to have 2 of these beasts coming into BHX. I know we have managed to get big shipments out on these flights before (but we always had the back up of the flying warehouse AKA B773) so with the morning flight gone and the second flight changing over I would hope that there are plans in place for extra capacity to come in for the excess cargo!!! As mentioned before they only have a certain amount of freighters and their schedule is normally set pretty far in advance so unless there is an order for extra frames out there (which I cannot recall seeing) then there may be a big dip in cargo revenues coming!

 

[Coathanger16]

I suppose it depends on what is more important to Emirates at BHX - passengers or cargo?

For all we know, Emirates plan may have been to serve BHX with a double daily A380 all along, but runway length and then availability of 2 class A380's limited this. The morning 773 may have been just a stop gap measure until enough 2 class A380's were available.