Originally Posted by
spin88
And what about tax abaitments, the pensions UA dumped on the PBCB, the $$$$ the airlines got post 9/11, or perhaps most important, the very large, protected from foreign competition, home market that the US majors have.
None of those are direct government capital infusions. Zero-intrerest government loans, totalling billions of dollars, a favorite of EK, are though.
EK doesn't worry about profitability. Though they have begun releasing phony "financial statements" as of late to appear legitimate. Last time I checked, Delta, United, IAG, Lufthansa are all heavily invested in their profitability, being publically traded entities who have a little different transparency requirements than the Middle Eastern competition. No matter what's said on FlyerTalk, the aggressive campaigns waged by American and European interests against the ME3 has had, and will continue to have, a real impact.
EK has some network advantages, but what it really has going for it is a reputatation and good product that causes people to want to fly them.
They also have a sterling reputation when it comes to employee benefits and other work rule protections.