IADBGO From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 206 posts, RR: 0 Posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 3834 times:
I suppose the title is pretty straight forward. Does EK or another carrier have the legs to make it to IAD or BWI? Assuming that they do have the range for it, are there any reasons why they would not start the route. I would think that the DC area would be a good yield route for them.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
IL76TD From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 289 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 3817 times:
They'd have at least one full-fare business class passenger in me if they did, as I fly between DC and DXB 4 times round trip every year as i am now living in Dubai.
Right now I go through FRA on LH/UA or LHR on BA, better than dealing with the long flight then a short flight on EK/Whatever through JFK
AirScoot From United States of America, joined May 2005, 688 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 3769 times:
Saudia has service into IAD from JED stopping in JFK and service from RUH through JED and JFK on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They're currently using 777 service though I thought for some reason they were using a 744 before.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31156 posts, RR: 76 Reply 6, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3591 times:
Quoting IADBGO (Reply 5): Any idea what the loads are like on the SAVE flights? I would think that they get some good loads with lobbyists and what not coming out of DC.
They clearly are not extraordinary, or else the flights would not stop in New York City. The flight is flown mainly for political purposes, and I doubt that SV makes money on their DC services.
N77014 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 3486 times:
Are there any business synergies between IAD and DXB? However this seems a good option for ethnic/business travel from the mid-Atlantic area to the Indian subcontinent.
Behramjee From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4487 posts, RR: 43 Reply 8, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 3428 times:
I just spoke to an EK Reservations agent on their 1800 # in JFK as I had some work with them concerning a PNR and she told me that the next EK destination is ORD or SFO and then EWR and IAD will be considered but ORD and SFO are the next 2 in line for EK she confirmed.
N77014 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 3404 times:
Quoting Behramjee (Reply 8): just spoke to an EK Reservations agent on their 1800 # in JFK as I had some work with them concerning a PNR and she told me that the next EK destination is ORD or SFO and then EWR and IAD will be considered but ORD and SFO are the next 2 in line for EK she confirmed.
LifelinerOne From Netherlands, joined Nov 2003, 1881 posts, RR: 8 Reply 10, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 3381 times:
Quoting Behramjee (Reply 8): I just spoke to an EK Reservations agent on their 1800 # in JFK as I had some work with them concerning a PNR and she told me that the next EK destination is ORD or SFO and then EWR and IAD will be considered but ORD and SFO are the next 2 in line for EK she confirmed.
Are they flying to LAX...? And if not, why SFO before LAX...?
Behramjee From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4487 posts, RR: 43 Reply 11, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 3365 times:
SFO because to tap into the India/Arabia-SFO high yielding IT-Computer sofware market segment. Unfortunately EK doesnt fly to BLR but it does to HYD which is a big IT hub city in India too. But BLR-DXB-SFO flights would have been the icing on the cake 4 them if they got the opportunity.
Also SFO/San Jose area combined has more Indians living there than the LAX area.
HanginOut From Austria, joined May 2005, 545 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3319 times:
Behramjee
Wouldn't the fact that airlines from India such as Air India and Jet are going to have ULR aircraft in their inventories, suggest that Air India and Jet are better poised to offer direct BLR-SFO and HYD-SFO services, thereby undercutting EK's strategy of flying through DXB. The only possibility that I would see for EK grabbing market share would then be on the basis of price, by undercutting airlines that have direct routing.
Also, has anyone heard whether any airlines from the US are planning on having direct flights to BLR or HYD.
HanginOut
PS After lurking for two years, this is my first post so be gentle if I have gotten something wrong.
IADguy73 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3293 times:
Quoting AirScoot (Reply 4): Saudia has service into IAD from JED stopping in JFK and service from RUH through JED and JFK on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They're currently using 777 service though I thought for some reason they were using a 744 before.
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1952 posts, RR: 26 Reply 15, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3192 times:
I had a long chat with the US sales managers at EK. SFO was scheduled next, but put on hold due to fuel prices (don't you just love the irony!). The A345 aircraft had already been secured for the route, but redeployed elsewhere. They now have hard numbers on the profitability of ultra long haul operations from their JFK flight. They figure that fuel needs to remain under $50 a barrel for the SFO operation to turn a profit.
One reason for EK's phenominal success is that they run the airline very frugally. They will not commence a new route until they are absolutely sure they can operate it profitably.
If fuel prices do go down, I'm not sure when the route is next up for reconsideration.
Shawnnyc From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 241 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3181 times:
Quoting PA110 (Reply 15): I had a long chat with the US sales managers at EK. SFO was scheduled next, but put on hold due to fuel prices (don't you just love the irony!). The A345 aircraft had already been secured for the route, but redeployed elsewhere. They now have hard numbers on the profitability of ultra long haul operations from their JFK flight. They figure that fuel needs to remain under $50 a barrel for the SFO operation to turn a profit.
Could be about fuel prices, but personally I don't buy it. SFO is their number two destination in the US because it is the #2 Indian-American population center in the US (notice they don't want to serve Detroit, the #1 Arab center in the US). They delayed the flight becuase of all the liberalization in the Indian market. As good as EK's service between the US and DXB is, on the DXB - India route you probabaly have to deal with a high density configuration. When given a reasonable choice, most indians and Indian-Americans choose to not fly through the Middle East, and I think EK is finally realizing that India may not be their "give me" destination.
RayChuang From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 7716 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (8 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3167 times:
I think EK is also delaying DXB to SFO because the A345 would have to be configured in reduced seating configuration to fly DXB-SFO nonstop year-round. That would drive CASM on the flight very high, to say the least. Maybe this might explain why EK may end up buying the 777-200LR and/or converting some of their 777-300ER orders/options to the 772LR, with an announcement to be made at the Paris Air Show? With the 772LR's potential range of 9,400 nautical miles, this gives a substantial safety margin for the westward flight from DXB to SFO, especially in Northern Hemisphere winters.
Arkhem From Ghana, joined Jul 2004, 128 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (8 years 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3043 times:
I wish they would... I'm itching to try JFK-DXB-LOS-ACC, booked far enough out the fare is consistently 400-500usd less than IAD/JFK-LHR-ACC on BA in Y. But, I don't think I'd bother with EK over BA if I was in J. I like NCW too much.
ETStar From Canada, joined Jan 2004, 2103 posts, RR: 9 Reply 19, posted (8 years 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3001 times:
Quoting Arkhem (Reply 18): I wish they would... I'm itching to try JFK-DXB-LOS-ACC, booked far enough out the fare is consistently 400-500usd less than IAD/JFK-LHR-ACC on BA in Y. But, I don't think I'd bother with EK over BA if I was in J. I like NCW too much.
You understand that going to DXB first to get to ACC is like flying from DXB to LAX then going back to JFK (or longer)? Or are you doing it for the thrill of it? A 4000 mile difference!
Nimish From India, joined Feb 2005, 3086 posts, RR: 9 Reply 20, posted (8 years 2 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2848 times:
Quoting Behramjee (Reply 11): But BLR-DXB-SFO flights would have been the icing on the cake 4 them if they got the opportunity.
This would have been great had it been launched in the past, but now (winter 05) with 4 airlines offering 1 stop BLR-SFO (KL, AF, BA and LH), I don't think EK has a chance to make too much money on this route. And once SQ/TG launch non-stops to SFO (not sure if that's planned though), that will add another couple of one stop services.
The non-stops BLR-SFO are not worth discussing at the moment, given the state of the AI or 9W ULR aircraft.
Given EK's phenomenal push into Europe, specifically the UK, I wonder why they aren't moving more aggressively in the US. Is it due to the lack of equipment to offer non-stops?
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 22, posted (8 years 2 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 2795 times:
Quoting Nimish (Reply 20): And once SQ/TG launch non-stops to SFO (not sure if that's planned though), that will add another couple of one stop services.
SQ flights will be much longer than the one offered by BA, LH, and others with one stop through EU. TG will be more competitive time wise(perhaps price wise too), but would involve a very short flight and then an extremely long flight, which, IMO is not very attractive relative to EU one stop options.
RJ111 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (8 years 2 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 2790 times:
Quoting RayChuang (Reply 17): I think EK is also delaying DXB to SFO because the A345 would have to be configured in reduced seating configuration to fly DXB-SFO nonstop year-round.
Are you sure, i know DXB is hot, but that route is a good 1,600nm's under the A345's (372t) 8,650nm range.
EK have quite a light configuration in their A345's anyway (250ish seats), less than in their A343's, and two class A332's!
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