LGWflyer From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2011, 2348 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1984 times:
As we all know EK are massive. So a simple question, what will EK be like in the future? Could we see them have any major hubs other than DXB, maybe somewhere in Europe.
Also the EK fleet, how big could it get with what aircraft... How many 777/A380's will there be?
Rara From Germany, joined Jan 2007, 1849 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1818 times:
Quoting LGWflyer (Thread starter): Could we see them have any major hubs other than DXB, maybe somewhere in Europe.
Not in Europe, no, for political reasons. Also, cheap fuel IS part of their business model after all. They wouldn't get that anywhere else. However, if they continue to be successful, they'll start buying feeder companies worldwide.
Where is EK headed? My gut feeling (and I know there are rational reasons against it) is that EK is a bubble that's going to burst. 100 A380s just can't be sustainable. At least I lack the imagination for that. So my uneducated guess would be that EK becomes unprofitable somewhere along its growth path, and will either scale back massively, or go under.
Samson was a biblical tough guy, but his dad Samsonite was even more of a hard case.
aerorobnz From Rwanda, joined Feb 2001, 6369 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1707 times:
Quoting Rara (Reply 1): 100 A380s just can't be sustainable
I don't see why not. It's one thing to order, but another to take full delivery of them all at one time. Besides, there are many routes they operate with other aircraft that could sustain an A380. And all the while wiping out the competition as best as they can. I don't expect too many more massive orders for the next few years until those deliveries are almost complete.
I do agree though, that they will start buying up some of the smaller niche carriers of the world to operate as feeders rather than join an alliance. If the niche carrier operates to airports/countries that cannot sustain the bigger aircraft then all the better. Carriers like VA/NZ in the Pacific, KQ or Arik in Africa, Copa in Central America, Gol in Brazil, even a financially struggling major could be at risk of a buyoutl.
Eventually there will be fewer independent carriers,more larger groups like UA/CO AF/KL/AZ LH/LX/OS etc etd but with massive fleets and Im sure EK will be one of them.
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From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2011, 2348 posts, 
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