Bochora From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2008, 491 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 3967 times:
It would be fantastic and it is very exciting to see these talks taking place.
There have been many exotic rumours such as dumping NCL and GLA and morphing them into a double daily service from EDI.
Personally I see a daily service fairly soon.
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10883 posts, RR: 100 Reply 2, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 3894 times:
From the link in the originating post, it sounds like the city council is really trying to gain soverign wealth fund investment in pearl street. I'd love to see EDI better connected, but EK would have to make Dubai instantly one of the top ten destinations from EDI. While possible... I'm not sure that the city is ready to support daily service. Of course they could start with 3X/week.
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10883 posts, RR: 100 Reply 5, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 3772 times:
Quoting RJ111 (Reply 4): Would the runway length limit this in any way?
I googled it at 8,500 ft. That is enough for the 77W or A332. Its about the same as BHX.
Sandyb123 From UK - Scotland, joined Oct 2007, 894 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 3736 times:
Funny, I have just booked 2 GLA-DXB flights and I am flying on this flight in 2 weeks. Would be much better for me personally from EDI (I live in the middle of the city) but not sure if it will happen.
David_itl From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2001, 7168 posts, RR: 14 Reply 7, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 3609 times:
Quoting Bochora (Reply 3): Quoting Lightsaber (Reply 2):
is EDI really ready for EK service?
I think they could get away with it as I know a great number of GLA traffic comes from EDI.
Errr......if it's so great, how come EK didn't choose EDI in place of GLA to begin with. Don't give the piss-poor feeble-minded excuse of "categorisation" that some dimwits come up with periodically regardinfg why EDI can't attract services.
Quoting Bochora (Reply 1): There have been many exotic rumours such as dumping NCL and GLA and morphing them into a double daily service from EDI.
Did that come from one of the dimwits as mentioned above? If GLA is profitable, there would be no need to pull that service as they are practically sharing the same catchment, with a tendency for GLA have greater ethnic travel. Similarly for NCL, I cannot see them droppng it as last I heard was EK was contemplating upgrading the service to 777s
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10883 posts, RR: 100 Reply 8, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 3560 times:
Quoting David_itl (Reply 7): If GLA is profitable, there would be no need to pull that service as they are practically sharing the same catchment, with a tendency for GLA have greater ethnic travel. Similarly for NCL, I cannot see them droppng it as last I heard was EK was contemplating upgrading the service to 777s
I would take a more... mentoring tone, but I agree with the premise. EK is not going to uproot two existing routes and pay the costs of starting new service from EDI. From what I've read, GLA and NCL will continue, albiet with slow growth (for example, the upgauge David mentions). It is very expensive to launch a new route. If EK had though EDI would out-yeild GLA, they would have launched EDI first.
Does anyone have a link to EDI final destinations? (I'm assuming my own wikipedia link is incomplete, for example that many of the fliers to AMS are connecting passengers.)
I think it would take EK purchasing an aircraft with a lower per-trip costs to launch EDI service in the next few years. So unless EK jumps on the 788 bandwagon... EDI service just doesn't seem ready before 2012. I hope to be proven wrong, but I'm just not seeing the demand. For example, in 2008 GLA, per Wikipedia link below, had 240k passengers to DXB. Is there something I do not know about EDI that would have enough growth to add nearly a quarter million passengers per year to a new hub?
Bochora From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2008, 491 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3522 times:
Quoting David_itl (Reply 7): Errr......if it's so great, how come EK didn't choose EDI in place of GLA to begin with. Don't give the piss-poor feeble-minded excuse of "categorisation" that some dimwits come up with periodically regardinfg why EDI can't attract services.
EK were going to start from EDI back in 2004 but switched to GLA a few months before.
Will find a link.
David_itl From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2001, 7168 posts, RR: 14 Reply 10, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 3229 times:
Quoting Lightsaber (Reply 9): there something I do not know about EDI that would have enough growth to add nearly a quarter million passengers per year to a new hub?
They're just a load of bankers up there, and we know how highly we think of bankers nowadays. If Scotland gets additional services, then I predict we will see 2 A330s a day.
Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2903 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2997 times:
Quoting David_itl (Reply 11): They're just a load of bankers up there, and we know how highly we think of bankers nowadays. If Scotland gets additional services, then I predict we will see 2 A330s a day. then I predict we will see 2 A330s a day.
Well there is your issue, the A330's are in great demand in the EK fleet right now, unless they replace this aircraft type on existing routes with larger equipment, there are no A330's to service the route.
The new A330-330s are not due in the fleet for a few years.
They could possibly get away with 2x 772's to operate both EDI and GLA.
Another idea, how about a one stop service like EDI-CWL/LTN-DXB service with a 77W? EK do exactly this on there MLA-LCA-DXB service, this over years has been upgraded from an A310 to a 77W at present. If the little communities of Malta and Cyprus could demand such a service, something similar could work here!
GLAGAZ From UK - Scotland, joined Feb 2004, 1978 posts, RR: 12 Reply 12, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 2001 times:
Quoting Bochora (Reply 10): EK were going to start from EDI back in 2004 but switched to GLA a few months before.
Will find a link.
Far from the truth. GLA was always the intended launch destination for EK in Scotland. The facilities were already in place to handle the daily A332 and it could easily accommodate an upgrade. The upgrade to 77W occurred very early and has continued to operate successfully ever since.
The reason GLA was started as early as it was however was due to the financial incentives offered by BAA and the Scottish government's RDF. Had the money not been on the table, GLA may not have seen EK until 2006 or 2007 for example.
EDI will no doubt see a middle-east flight in the near future, aslong as the middle-east economy can recover. It could be EK, QR, or EY. However, Emirates run a tight ship and will not bee too keen on expanding into markets where the recession is hitting hard, such as the UK.
2010 however is slowly creeping up on us and perhaps things will look better in a few months. There is no doubt a middle-eastern link would be a major coup for Edinburgh, I just don't know if EK would dilute their traffic from GLA and NCL.
QR were interested in EDI recently, so i'd probably stick with them.
Gaz
Neutrality means that u don't really care cos the struggle goes on even when ur not there, blind and unaware
SurfandSnow From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 2614 posts, RR: 31 Reply 13, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1979 times:
Indeed, EDI is a prime candidate for a n/s link to the Middle East. Whereas QR and EY only serve London and Manchester at present, EK has successfully entered 3 secondary U.K. markets (BHX, GLA, and NCL). I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see EDI as one of their next European destinations, given Dubai's immense popularity with U.K. travelers.
Flying in the middle seat of coach is much better than not flying at all!
Humberside From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2005, 4903 posts, RR: 5 Reply 14, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 1801 times:
Quoting Lightsaber (Reply 2): Judging from the TATL traffic statistics, is EDI really ready for EK service?
NCL doesnt even have scheduled transatlantic service, but has EK, so I don't think you can link transatlantic stats to middle eastern potential
Personally I think EY or QR will be the ones to start EDI-Middle East, but not in the next couple of years. With the recession, and Edinburgh seeing a big impact due to it's large financial services sector, I can't see EDI attracting new long haul airlines in the short term. Until then GSM to SSH will have suffice
Aerecosse From UK - Scotland, joined Mar 2009, 83 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 1681 times:
Quoting Gilesdavies (Reply 12): Well there is your issue, the A330's are in great demand in the EK fleet right now, unless they replace this aircraft type on existing routes with larger equipment, there are no A330's to service the route.
think the only possible increased service by EK to Scotland would be a double daily A330 service or daily 777 & A330 to GLA but as has been said where would they get the aircraft to do it? Also why would EK uproot or dilute a successful service, particularly now?
personally having flown EK A330 & 777 service, I actually prefer the A330 Y cabin with the 2-4-2 seating making the cabin feel more spacious but prefer the 777 for C.
Sandyb123 From UK - Scotland, joined Oct 2007, 894 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 1450 times:
Perhaps an opportunity for Singapore Air to compete out of EDI? They could fly the 773ER on the route. They would be strong competition on Asian and Australian destinations Vs the EK out of GLA?
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10883 posts, RR: 100 Reply 18, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 1358 times:
Quoting Humberside (Reply 15): NCL doesnt even have scheduled transatlantic service, but has EK, so I don't think you can link transatlantic stats to middle eastern potential
Excellent counter point. I didn't realize that detail... Has me re-evaluating my criteria...
Quoting Humberside (Reply 15): Personally I think EY or QR will be the ones to start EDI-Middle East
Normally I would think that EK would want to defend their UK market share... however, their overall network is being operated at around break-even right now (per EK's last annual report). So whomever serves EDI would have to absorb a few years of 'loss leading' service until they are more established.
Fox1 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 126 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1257 times:
Quoting Lightsaber (Reply 18): So whomever serves EDI would have to absorb a few years of 'loss leading' service until they are more established.
I'm not too sure about that. Much of EK's Scottish passengers, both residents and visitors alike, would welcome the convenience and accessibility of EDI ?
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