AeroMexiBoi From Mexico, joined Aug 2007, 35 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 7131 times:
Holy crap! I was SO hoping this would happen. I'm booked on business for AF3830 on Jan 13 and yes, the aircraft has been changed from a 773 to an A380! SO excited!!!!!
Flight details
[Edited 2011-11-03 14:12:45]
Since 2010: CO 739/CRJ, AM 737/E190, EK 772/332, QR 320, KL 332/738, AF 380/320, LH 744/346, US 320, AS 737, DL 763/752
kl838 From Netherlands Antilles, joined Oct 2010, 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6397 times:
Great to see AF challenging EK especially since EK Is the "biggest threat."
I wonder when AF will send the A380 to SIN? Considering SQ has been sending the A380 to Paris for quite a while now and the SIN flights are almost always full.
shamrock604 From Ireland, joined Sep 2007, 4039 posts, RR: 13 Reply 5, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6386 times:
Just did a search in Amadeus, and the A380 service seems to be commencing on Dec 5th, and so far is scheduled until the end of IATA Winter 2011 season (ie until end march 2012)
Flown EI,FR,RE,EIR,VE,SI,TLA,BA,BE,BD,VX,MON,AF,YS,WX,KL,SK,LH,OK,OS,LX,IB,LTU,HLX,4U,SU,CO,DL,UA,AC,PR,MH,SQ,QF, EY, EK
PEET7G From Hungary, joined Jan 2007, 692 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 6225 times:
Quoting Babybus (Reply 2): You can't have EK hogging all the passengers, not in this market anyway.
Why would putting an A380 change that? EK is feasting on connecting passengers in and out of France and not on the O&D market. I simply think that since winter is the high season for tourists flying in and out of Dubai, this change might be just for the winter timetable.
Gunsontheroof From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 3462 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5208 times:
I don't see why anyone other than EK would fly an A380 from DXB...the whole point of EK having this massive widebody fleet is to maximize yields through their successful DXB hub. I have a hard time believing that there are many markets that can sustain this kind of capacity to DXB if EK connections are taken out of the equation...someone correct me if I'm way off base here, but I can't see why AF (or anyone else that isn't EK) would put one of their A380s on this route...
lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10668 posts, RR: 100 Reply 8, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5025 times:
Quoting PEET7G (Reply 6): I simply think that since winter is the high season for tourists flying in and out of Dubai, this change might be just for the winter timetable.
Probably. It is also high season from Europe to 'warmer destinations.' So it might not be O&D that help fill the seats.
Quoting Gunsontheroof (Reply 7): I don't see why anyone other than EK would fly an A380 from DXB...the whole point of EK having this massive widebody fleet is to maximize yields through their successful DXB hub.
DXB is a somewhat unique wayport. I've seen on Orbitz connections through DXB that had me going XX is cooperating with YY?!? (I hope those aren't real airline codes... I'm using them as an example.) As best as I can determine, if a passenger makes it to DXB more than 115 minutes before a connecting flight, the airport will facilitate the transfer even if the airlines do not code share. If someone knows more or has a great link, I'd appreciate it.
The closest analogy I've found is cargo at AMS. If you get your cargo there, it seems as if KL (or is it AMS airport?) helps move it anywhere it needs to go. Naturally the home carrier is going to see the trends 1st and thus have a *huge* 'home field advantage.' It also helps being a well advertised 'name brand.' There is also a huge amount of feed to/from secondary cities; often that feed is by obscure airlines that fly to DXB only a few times per week from each obscure destination.
This is one reason I see little value in EK ever joining an alliance. In effect, DXB is an open port that facilitates connections from anywhere to anywhere. As long as DXB has open slots, this is a huge advantage for EK. (Let's face it, obscure airlines have trouble selling tickets to customers who haven't heard about them.) It is also why EK, long term, needs DWC with many more runways; is the current plan 5 or 6? I've lost the bubble.
It is good that AF is stepping up their gauge to DXB. Am I the only one who thinks AF is doing this to increase profit? It will do little, if anything, to impact EK. I expect more A380s from other airlines in DXB as the A380 production increases.
They have to go somewhere since India won't let them in.
something From United Kingdom, joined May 2011, 1633 posts, RR: 24 Reply 9, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 4668 times:
Quoting Gunsontheroof (Reply 7): someone correct me if I'm way off base here, but I can't see why AF (or anyone else that isn't EK) would put one of their A380s on this route
EK does not cater much to O&D passengers at all. Whenever I've been booking tickets there it was usually KL ex AMS or AF ex CDG who seemed to be in control of the market. EK seems to be making more money with transit passengers and therefore reserve their seats to them.
Furthermore, take into consideration that various European airlines all move widebodies to DXB, be the the VS A346, the LH 744, OS 767 or others. Some of them have multiple daily frequencies, even. Add to that that Dubai's winters are main travel season, ie when demand to (as opposed to via) Dubai should be the largest. I would also believe that the construction business is a lot busier in the cooler, yet still warm winters, than it is in the intolerably hot summers.
AF should easily have the volumes to fill an A380 on the routes. If it'll decrease RASM is questionable but they will at least be able to differentiate themselves from the fierce competition a little and with these flights times, they can seamlessly do the CDG-DXB-CDG and a CDG-(YUL, JFK, IAD)- CDG runs with two frames only and very little down time at that.
Not sure that is the absolute best use for the plane, but it doesn't appear to be the worst either.
TeamInTheSky From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 505 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 4551 times:
AHH! Just checked my reservation for January, and it shows the A380 as well!!! I am now flying an A380 there and an MD11 back. I don't know which one to be more excited about!
I, like some of you, don't understand the upgage necessarily. But I am certainly excited about it!
Since 2010: DL, KL, AF, IG, FR , FL, U2, AK, BA, OK, UX
jacobin777 From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 14968 posts, RR: 61 Reply 11, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 4450 times:
Quoting lightsaber (Reply 8): DXB is a somewhat unique wayport. I've seen on Orbitz connections through DXB that had me going XX is cooperating with YY?!? (I hope those aren't real airline codes... I'm using them as an example.) As best as I can determine, if a passenger makes it to DXB more than 115 minutes before a connecting flight, the airport will facilitate the transfer even if the airlines do not code share. If someone knows more or has a great link, I'd appreciate it.
A couple of years ago, I was flying SJC-ORD-LHR on AA, LHR-DXB on BA and DXB-KHI on EK (two tickets with DXB-KHI on a separate ticket but luggage checked through to KHI). My BA LHR-DXB arrived late yet there was someone from EK waiting for me at the arrival gate and helped me through security, etc.
Now that's service!
That being said, I've seen EK (and DXB) change a lot over the past 10-15 years since I started flying on EK and transiting through DXB. It's become much,much more "impersonal", especially EK.
Of interest, I found an old BOAC ticket of mine from 1977 (not a misprint) LHR-DXB-Rawalpindi (ISB)...it was on a VC-10..
dennys From France, joined May 2001, 792 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (1 year 6 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2408 times:
Sorry but I do not see the A380 need for a Midium Haul flight to DXB . 77X or 332 is good enough . EK is an exception . The A380 is to fly very long distances ( 4 Holers means range )
SR4ever From Luxembourg, joined Mar 2010, 765 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (1 year 6 months 1 week 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2164 times:
Actually, AF original intend was to send a 388 on CDG-DXB on a daily basis ASAP (i.e. early-2010) in the aftermath of the EIS on CDG-JFK, replacing 7-wekly 77W 3-weekly 332.
But the GCF led AF to postpone undefintely those plans, while the 332 flights were withdrawn from the S2010 Timetable.
sf260 From Belgium, joined Oct 2007, 136 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 year 6 months 1 week 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 1997 times:
Quoting dennys (Reply 12): Sorry but I do not see the A380 need for a Midium Haul flight to DXB . 77X or 332 is good enough . EK is an exception . The A380 is to fly very long distances ( 4 Holers means range )
The A380 is more about capacity than about range. Soon, all (new) wide-bodies will have ± equal range as the A380... Replacing a daily 77W + 3x weekly A332 with a daily A380 makes perfectly sense to me.
The only reason why "4 holers" are still made is because there is no engine with thrust high enough to replace the 4 engines with 2. (especially in one engine out ops)
FlySSC From France, joined Aug 2003, 7313 posts, RR: 61 Reply 18, posted (1 year 6 months 1 week 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1451 times:
Quoting OLBA (Reply 16):
Will AF ever send the A380 to BEY? maybe during summer season?
The only problem is that BEY terminal is not ready for the A380. Most gates have only one jetway, very few with a double jetway ( Gate 2 for sure) but no possibility to use one on the main deck and one at the upper deck.
renatoserra From Brazil, joined Sep 2011, 28 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (1 year 6 months 1 week 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1438 times:
Anyone knows if Lufthansa plans to Fly to Dubai with the A380? I have been praying for a star alliance short flight frequency with the A380 for some time... Dubai is not that far from FRA...
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(I hope those aren't real airline codes... I'm using them as an example.) As best as I can determine, if a passenger makes it to DXB more than 115 minutes before a connecting flight, the airport will facilitate the transfer even if the airlines do not code share. If someone knows more or has a great link, I'd appreciate it. 
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