Interesting news today from Emirates who have confirmed that to start up their new Dallas service, they’ll be utilising one of the Boeing 777-200LR’s that is assigned to the Houston service.
Therefore the following of flights are suspended from the timetable from 31st January, to allow the Dallas service to commence on the 1st February.
EK213 DEPART DXB 02:45 ARRIVE IAH 10:00 SUSPENDED FROM 01/02/2012 EK214 DEPART IAH 12:30 ARRIVE DXB 12:00+1 SUSPENDED FROM 01/02/2012
The other Emirates flight (EK211/EK212) will continue to operate as normal.
EK211 DEPART DXB 09:05 ARRIVE IAH 16:25 EK212 DEPART IAH 18:30 ARRIVE DXB 18:30+1
Like all carriers, there is a bit of capacity constraint – and it looks like Emirates doesn’t have of the right aircraft to the job – which for ultra-long haul missions, is the Boeing 777-200LR. Emirates intend to reinstate the service when capacity becomes available.
Lets hope this is a gamble that pays off for Emirates – otherwise it’ll turn into a Dallas Cowboys/Fans of the show “Dallas” tourist shuttle…
When EK lost their UA/CO partnerships, I bet they lost some Houston feed. They’re really off on their own right now, I mean JL is a partner but they need something in North America, the other Middle Eastern carriers while still eschewing alliances have hookups in North America.
WHen American picked up Etihad (on top of Gulf Air and Royal Jordanian) I rather expected Emirates to get cozy with Delta.
I wonder if Dallas in particular signals intentions of a tie-up with American of some kind, at least testing the grounds there, despite American’s recent deal with Etihad?
Otherwise I might have expected Detroit service (even over Atlanta)…
Capacity constraints shouldn’t be around for long seeing that they get sweetheart deals when they go to buy planes, stuff no US air big EU airlines can get.
@Kris. That could be an intresting question depending if Emriates has enough of the right aircraft. It’s an idea to send a 777-300ER out on a route that far, but if there’s not enough fuel in it to make the landing point (or they payload restrict it, negating the benefits of such a move), then they’re back to square one – the Boeing 777-200LR.
Now off the top off the top of my head, I swear they haven’t got any of those lined up at the Boeing shop at the moment… though knowing Emirates and how they chop and change what’s what, I wouldn’t be surprised either if they can sort something within a few months.