Emirates

[nwoody2001]

From what I'm understanding, this is purely down to Staff shortages in EK. Their entire global network has been reviewed with some routes to NZ now off sale... its quite telling that as of Feb, 90% of their route network was reinstated but they were only running at 68% capacity.

With limited staffing and raising oil prices, I can imagine some decisions have to be made. i will be shocked not to see the return the A380 at BHX, but their are still turbulent times ahead I'm afraid. I'm confident that progress will be made but it wont be steady of consistent...

On Saturday I believe EK flew nearly 1,450 Pax in/out of BHX at over 360 pax a flight... not bad for a standard weekend...

 

[RichL]

I think it was the half term flights that were 'close to full'. If all flights were close to full, it would certainly be upgraded either by a larger aircraft or a frequency increase.


That's like saying 'I wont bother going to vote, as one vote counts for nothing'. But, if hundreds or thousands vote similarly, it can make a big difference.
Also, by flying from Heathrow, you are not supporting employment in the West Midlands (assuming that's where you reside), but rather the south east.

Kevin

Lets leave politics out of it shall we? Not that I feel it is necessary to have to support my response however:

Yes I live in Solihull.

I frequently travelled on Continental / United 6 to 8 times a year for work - how is that working out for me now supporting BHX? Go via France / Germany / Amsterdam to support BHX? Or travel to Heathrow? One is a damn site easier than the other, trust me.

Emirates the same, for work pre Covid, 8 to 10 times a year, for personal holidays / trips 4 to 6. Was Platinum (I know who cares about status) before Covid and thus I now appreciate the A380 more than the 777.

15 hours non stop from Dubai to Auckland on the 380 where you can get up, walk to the bar, have a shower etc. is a damn sight more appealing than 15 hours on a 777 (I know its not that long from Birmingham to Dubai either!)

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Ultimately, the choice is yours. For me, I can't stand the trek to LHR (not to mention the return, jet-lagged) and much prefer convenience of a local flight.
I'm no real fan of the B777 (I've flown on several, with several different airlines) but it gets the job done. I actually preferred the A330 when Emirates used it from BHX.

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

I remember reading in an interview, possibly with Tim Clark, that Emirates saw a boost in bookings whenever they put an A380 on a route such is the draw of the aircraft.

As said above, crewing seems to be an issue and given where the world is at the moment keeping a double daily frequency feels like a good result, for now.

At least the intention was there

 

[Matt995]

Interestingly checking the A380 fleet with the 2 class seating configuration of 615 seats which they used to send to BHX, out of a fleet of 15 aircraft, currently only 3 are back in service, A6-EUN, A6-EUQ, & A6-EVB.

2 aircraft A6-EUX, and A6-EUY have recently been flown from storage at DWC back to DXB, so are presumably being prepared to re-enter service soon.

Fingers crossed the remaining 10 will re-enter service during this year, enable the BHX service to be up grade again, presuming the plan will be 2023 before we see them again?

 

[RichL]

Copenhagen and Male in the Maldives used to get the two-class treatment so maybe (if not already) they are getting their 380 services back.

EUN has been on the Gatwick route a lot lately.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Or maybe the 3rd service will return with a 77W

 

[RichL]

Or maybe pigs might fly?

 

[Brum X]

Or maybe the 3rd service will return with a 77W

I'd rather have a daily Qatar service than more EK in the short/medium term providing more choice via DOH

 

[IanFarquharson]

EK number 3 more likely than QR

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Personally, I'd rather have a 2 X daily A380 service than a 3 X daily B777. The A380 totally outclasses the B777.

Kevin

 

[Nethercote2019]

I’m just very pleased EK are here at 2 a day, 3 flights gives better options choices but …I’ve got a friend coming here from Sydney in June, booked business class but LHR as a380 …. It was cheaper aswell including paying extra for chauffeur up m40 !

 

[nwoody2001]

Indeed, Business Class on EK777s are no where near as good as the Business Class on the EK380.... they really need to upgrade these....

 

[RichL]

The new business class seat is fine on the 777s (not sure if the two class A6-EP* frames which we get have the new seats)

But you can’t beat the bar and just being able to get up and easily walk round the top deck of the 380.

 

[Coathanger16]

Their business class will be getting a makeover for the 777X and may well be retrofitted to some of the current 777 fleet:

First impressions: Emirates new 777 business class

The dated 2-3-2 layout with its dreaded middle seat makes way for a modern superjumbo-inspired business class.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[Kevin Farnell]

The premium economy seating looks very good.

Kevin

 

[RichL]

I wonder if one of these 90 would be BHX's flight?

Emirates, the largest A380 operator with 123 of the aircraft, is also ramping up. "Today we operate [...] more than half of our A380s," says Richard Jewsbury, divisional vice president UK at Emirates. "By the end of the year, we're aiming to operate close to 90 A380s across our entire network." That means that over a dozen more A380s will join the ones currently flying.

Why the A380 superjumbo is staging a comeback

The world's largest passenger plane seemed to be on the scrapheap as fleets were grounded during the pandemic. Now the A380 seems to be roaring back into the skies.

edition.cnn.com

 

[nwoody2001]

I wonder if one of these 90 would be BHX's flight?

Why the A380 superjumbo is staging a comeback

The world's largest passenger plane seemed to be on the scrapheap as fleets were grounded during the pandemic. Now the A380 seems to be roaring back into the skies.

edition.cnn.com

the ACL Slot allocation report suggests its EKs intention

 

[Paulsstrange]

Intention is one thing, action is quite another ......

 

[IanFarquharson]

Most BHX flights are over 90%LF at the moment