BoeingFever777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 409 posts, RR: 56 Posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 3863 times:
I was wondering why EK does not fly into Houston? I know there has to be some ties with oil and all and the Houston Ship channel or something to give them a reason to fly there. I know these current Intl. carriers fly there:
AC
KL
LH
PK
BA
AF
AM
CI
SV
Why no EK though or do they plan to start service in the near future?
Boeing747_600 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 1259 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 3767 times:
SV flights to IAH aside from those ferrying Saudi royalty and their cronies/lackeys, are cargo only.
EK codeshares with CO ex LGW and EWR, so they probably dont have that much of an incentive to fly directly to IAH. Then again, in the cosmic scheme of things its a heck of a lot more llkely than CO ever flying to DXB or BAH
Willyj From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 467 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 1 day ago) and read 3657 times:
Quoting Boeing747_600 (Reply 3): EK codeshares with CO ex LGW and EWR, so they probably dont have that much of an incentive to fly directly to IAH. Then again, in the cosmic scheme of things its a heck of a lot more llkely than CO ever flying to DXB or BAH
Although Continental is expanding internationally quite a bit. They don't have aircraft to do that flight nonstop, but they could do it from EWR. They fly 2x daily to TLV and now to DEL as well. All of the major US carriers are trying to find new international routes for growth. You never know - perhaps with 787s?
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1950 posts, RR: 26 Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 1 day ago) and read 3609 times:
Quoting Junction (Reply 5): t's a good question. Also, does anyone know why Gulf Air suspended their regularly scheduled service to IAH?
Gulf Air got killed on the route. Their loads were abominable. They carried a handful of First and Business Class passengers, while the back was virtually empty. The revenue it generated by this handful of passengers didn't even come close to covering the cost of the operation.
COfaninBOS From United States of America, joined May 2004, 287 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3509 times:
The Gulf Air flights were very poorly routed.
From IAH, you had to stop in JFK and then again in Cyprus before reaching the Middle East.
Why would a biz person in Houston do that when they could make one easy transfer via AF, KL, LH, or even BA?
A360 From Portugal, joined Jun 2005, 434 posts, RR: 9 Reply 10, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3494 times:
Quoting Karan69 (Reply 1): Yes they do once they get the right aircraft for the market,
They have it... the A345 could easily do it.
Also I believe the 773ER could do it.... but EK doesn't seem very keen on using their 777's on really long haul.
Also the 346HGW will likelly also be able to do it... but they don't have them yet...
Thomasphoto60 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3723 posts, RR: 25 Reply 11, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3513 times:
If the rumours are true, IAH is in EK's future expansion plan. That said, so is LAX, SFO, ORD and YYZ. Sadly, IAH is believed to be that last N.Am city that will be added to EK's route map. As to when they are coming (if at all), well don't hold your breath too long, it could be another 5-10 years by some 'guesstimates'.
Quoting PA110 (Reply 7): Gulf Air got killed on the route. Their loads were abominable. They carried a handful of First and Business Class passengers, while the back was virtually empty. The revenue it generated by this handful of passengers didn't even come close to covering the cost of the operation.
I recall passing through terminal 'D' (then know as IAB) when the GF bird was at it's stand and thinking to myself "that plane better be packed to the brim with cargo, otherwise Gulf Air will not be long for IAH" Five months later it was gone. I suppose one can take some solice tha the JFK sector blew as well and was scrapped shorthly after. Most believe that the numerous stops on this flight (Nicosia, JFK) really hurt the IAH sector. Who knows?
Also keep in mind that Alia, served IAH in the late 70s and early 80s. Like GF, they just could not make a go of it. Also like GF, there were a number of stops (VIE, JFK) and like GF some speculate those stops killed the route.
While I have not been in home to Houston for much of the year, I still like to keep tabs on the happenings at IAH (should be home at the end of the month). I have been looking at Flytecomm over the past few months and noticed an disturbing trend. PK appears to have cut it's Sunday flight over the last 3 weks. It seems that PK is really having problems with this route. I have read that PK is slated to start a N/S to IAH from KHI (or is it Lahore) to IAH once they acquire their 777-200ERs. Can anyone confirm this?
Boeing747_600 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 1259 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 3437 times:
Quoting BEYauty (Reply 8): You are speaking of the Bushites, no doubt...
While the Bushites have raised it to an art form, the sad fact of the matter is that Saudi-royal-family-ass-kissing is a bipartisan effort dating back to 50s. Every U.S. president has bent over backwards to accomodate them. Even the great FDR was not immune to it.
EK156 From United Arab Emirates, joined May 2005, 765 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 3431 times:
Quoting Thomasphoto60 (Reply 12): If the rumors are true, IAH is in EK's future expansion plan. That said, so is LAX, SFO, ORD and YYZ
YYZ is not going to be available for EK until Canada gives the UAE the rights to operate 2 national carriers instead of one. Didn't you hear the news, Etihad got the YYZ slots. Rumor has it that EK were offered the slots but one of the top managers in EK wanted daily service where as YYZ was offering them 4 times a week initially. While EK was stubborn on the daily requirement, EY jumped at the opportunity and bought the slots.... Now EK cannot fly to Canada anymore unless the Canadian civil authorities allow more than one national carrier from the UAE to operate on these routes....
Rumor also has it that the same top manager was sacked from EK for losing the slots and apparently he also lost slots to Capetown - South Africa!!!
As for IAH, well EK is now going to start their second daily to JFK as they are strengthening their position on that route. But I believe that if UK offers EK 5th Freedom rights then they will start flights to IAH through the UK immediately.. Most probably through MAN or BHX
Thomasphoto60 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3723 posts, RR: 25 Reply 14, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 3390 times:
Quoting EK156 (Reply 14): Didn't you hear the news, Etihad got the YYZ slots. Rumor has it that EK were offered the slots but one of the top managers in EK wanted daily service where as YYZ was offering them 4 times a week initially.
as a matter of fact now that you mention it, I did indeed read that some months back, I was just a little foggy as to how that would effect EK and YYZ, thanks for pointing that out.
Quoting EK156 (Reply 14): As for IAH, well EK is now going to start their second daily to JFK as they are strengthening their position on that route. But I believe that if UK offers EK 5th Freedom rights then they will start flights to IAH through the UK immediately.. Most probably through MAN or BHX
Well, I am cautiously hopeful but not getting my hopes up too high.
Jacobin777 From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 14968 posts, RR: 61 Reply 15, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 3309 times:
what i've found interesting here in the Bay Area (and by my observations @SFO),
many people use European air carriers to connect to Europe, then to DXB then to Pakistan/India with EK...
However, PK will be starting nonstop IAH-ISB-KHI route next year with the 777-200LR and PK will start LAX next year also. With AI already flying LAX and possibly SFO soon, it will be intersting to see how all these carriers, as well as the European carriers compete...
BHMNONREV From Australia, joined Aug 2003, 1286 posts, RR: 4 Reply 16, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 3247 times:
Quoting Boeing747_600 (Reply 3): EK codeshares with CO ex LGW and EWR, so they probably dont have that much of an incentive to fly directly to IAH. Then again, in the cosmic scheme of things its a heck of a lot more llkely than CO ever flying to DXB or BAH
I don't think demand would be a problem, especially for the Y cabin. With Halliburton currently flying 300-400 people per week to DXB and KWI the need is certainly there, and with seats at a premium it often takes up to two weeks to get employees into theater.
If they could put a CO codeshare on a IAH to DXB leg I guarantee this would be most welcome...
CHI787ORD From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 517 posts, RR: 4 Reply 17, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 3236 times:
IAH is their least priority right now. LAX, ORD, SFO are their priorities right now.
BigGSFO From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2755 posts, RR: 7 Reply 18, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 3237 times:
Off topic but still related, the marketing and development of Dubai and EK is nothing short of wonderous. The vision and determination of the government of Dubai is to be applauded. Business schools will be studying this as one of the greatest business ventures of the 21st century.
BoeingFever777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 409 posts, RR: 56 Reply 19, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 3166 times:
Quoting Karan69 (Reply 1): Yes they do once they get the right aircraft for the market
So does that mean some of the (10) 777-300ER's they will recieve or have recieved this year will open new routes "ie: LAX or SFO?" or go to already established routes?
Boysteve From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 876 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 2990 times:
Quoting EK156 (Reply 14): But I believe that if UK offers EK 5th Freedom rights then they will start flights to IAH through the UK immediately.. Most probably through MAN or BHX
I have flown three return trips on EK's MAN-DXB since it went double daily, and all have been at least 95% full (in economy anyway). I'm not sure where the extra IAH pax would sit!
What is the situation with the BHX flights?
EK156 From United Arab Emirates, joined May 2005, 765 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2703 times:
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 21): I have flown three return trips on EK's MAN-DXB since it went double daily, and all have been at least 95% full (in economy anyway). I'm not sure where the extra IAH pax would sit!
What is the situation with the BHX flights?
If they get the 5th Freedom right.. I am sure they will go 4 or 5 times daily if they have to!!! BHX flights are also 2 daily now and they are very busy as well!!!
The airline is ok only because they have a great hub, but frankly, the gov't of Dubai is setting Dubai up to be one of the most expensive failures in the history of the world. I live in Dubai, trust me, the only thing business schools will be studying is the biggest financial and real estate bust ever known to man, all set up by an overambitious, overly capitalized, and overzealous government.
Boysteve From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 876 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1812 times:
Quoting IL76TD (Reply 23): The airline is ok only because they have a great hub, but frankly, the gov't of Dubai is setting Dubai up to be one of the most expensive failures in the history of the world. I live in Dubai, trust me, the only thing business schools will be studying is the biggest financial and real estate bust ever known to man, all set up by an overambitious, overly capitalized, and overzealous government.
When will this happen? Should I hold my breath?
Seriously though, surely Dubai is trying to be a kind of new Singapore. Who'd of thought in 1965 when Singapore declared independence from Malaysia that it would eventually need an airline with 90 widebodies to serve it's 3 million population.
EK156 From United Arab Emirates, joined May 2005, 765 posts, RR: 3 Reply 24, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 1765 times:
Quoting IL76TD (Reply 23): The airline is ok only because they have a great hub, but frankly, the gov't of Dubai is setting Dubai up to be one of the most expensive failures in the history of the world. I live in Dubai, trust me, the only thing business schools will be studying is the biggest financial and real estate bust ever known to man, all set up by an overambitious, overly capitalized, and overzealous government.
Well that is one hell of a pesimisitic view!!! I live in Dubai too, and I can't see what you are talking about happening. For one, the UAE is close to signing the FTA agreement with the US and this will be a gradual preparation for it to enter the GATT. This will invite more companies ... especially International ones to open up. But even without it, the vision of Dubai's future is no where close to what you are talking about and to prove it, all of the neighbours of Dubai are copying Dubai's progress and trying to compete as well.. such as Qatar (QR) and Abu Dhabi (EY)!!
So where the hell did you come up with such a statement??? Cause it sounds to me like you are simply jealous of what Dubai has acheived!!! And they will acheive much more than that as well!!
25 RichardJF: Good point...furthermore Dubai Huge amounts of oil money from Saudi Arabia. Being undemocratic I imagine the Saudi's feel nervous about putting it in
26 S12PPL: I would think Emirates would want that market to help get all the Bush family out to the middle east so they can hang out with they're buddies the ter
27 Emirates773ER: I hope what you just said IL76TD never happens but at the same time looking at the arrogance and proudness which all the UAE nationals share I think
28 EK156: I think you should be banned from a.net ..... seriously I am sorry to say but this feeling of inequality started from the days of the British mandate
29 GustyOrange: Wouldn't it be better to rout EK's DXB-IAH flight through GLA? This might tempt on board some of the oilmen travelling from Houston to Aberdeen. Gusty
30 EK156: If EK gets 5th Freedom Rights then that would be ideal!
31 Thorben: To be honest, a lot of people here in Europe look down on Arabs and Muslims. They are considered to be backward concerning democracy and human rights
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and PK will start LAX next year also. With AI already flying LAX and possibly SFO soon, it will be intersting to see how all these carriers, as well as the European carriers compete...
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