The Situation

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...held-300-spare


Somewhat amusing. Obviously, you only get one side of the story here, but I am a little concerned about what goes around comes around if this is true.

KDCAflyer

This spat is getting absurd. Wait until the ME3 tries to start fifth freedom routes US-major EU cities. That's coming IMO, and the reaction will be epic indeed.

jimrpa

Perhaps Emirates should have used their SkyMiles credit card from American Express? Then they could have called American Express when Delta declined the charge and asked American Express for assistance in getting the purchase of the airplane part resolved?

Or, why didn't Emirates just drive over to Boeing and buy the part there? It's not like they were in some crappy third-world pest-hole where you can't buy anything, like, say, DXB

hi55us

"Emirates said Delta had refused a credit-card payment for the spare and ordered a local engineering provider to remove it from the 777. Code-share partner Alaska Airlines Inc. eventually came to the rescue by providing the part, leaving the flight to depart 6 hours and 24 minutes late."

Oh man, this is war....

flyerCO

Um, that's already happened and happening with EK. Currently JFK-MXP (been run for quite awhile) and shortly EWR-ATH (year round).

MSPeconomist

It must be a common part since AFAIK AS doesn't have 777s.

readywhenyouare

It could be common to several Boeing aircraft. Or perhaps Alaska does maintenance for some of their partners like BA.

KDCAflyer

Milan is a relatively large city, but Athens is more of a secondary destination.

I'm referring to the big business destinations like LHR, CDG, AMS, FRA, MUC, etc.

MSPeconomist

Maybe more importantly, MXP is a business destination while ATH is mostly leisure and probably lower yield. Moreover, the Greek economic crisis seems to have reduced vacation travel further.

kop84

Who knows what the real story its, but if DL wouldn't give them the part, it's petty, if EK then complained to the media about DL not giving them the part, it's childish.

I don't personally think that either airline looks particularly good in this story.

CPMaverick

Wait a minute--- Emirates couldn't find a Boeing spare part in Seattle?

MSPeconomist

Maybe the local engineering provider should have asked DL before "selling" a spare part that DL owned to another carrier and proceeding to install it. It's not unreasonable for DL to have a policy not to give away their last item in stock, especially depending on how often the part is needed for repairs and how long it would take to procure a replacement.

TheMadBrewer

I don't disagree, but to go remove the part after it was installed is a bit much.

flyerCO

Also depending on the law (not sure on this particular case) it might have legally needed EK permission to Uninstall it. I'm not sure of how those rules would work in regards to a plane and a plane part. However in some states/countries once a necessary part is installed it's considered part of the vehicle and can't be removed unless the vehicle owner gives permission. Just like if you have a new roof installed and fail to pay, the roofer can't come and remove it.

I doubt it wasn't a DL employee who gave the part. The person who installed it though might be contract. Not sure why if DL was insisted on keeping one that EK couldn't have been allowed to pay AS for there's and give it to DL. NO reason the part needed to be removed. This was DL playing games. It's stuff like this that I think will eventually start hurting DL'S image and thus stockprice.

As for the commenter on this being Boeing's home, that doesn't mean there's spare parts lying around. It may not be a part that is built or worked on in Seattle. Instead it could come from another city or country and/or is pre-installed in the system segment before being shipped to Seattle for finally assembly.

MSPeconomist

It's almost surely not an issue in this case, but normally you're confident that your own part has been properly stored and not so certain about a part that someone else gives to you.