Originally Posted by
Emirates777
8 is the number of new destinations planned for Emirates in 2008. CPT has already been announced, and i will leave you all to guess the remaining 7.
Also to add my $0.01 to the Tokyo debate. Emirates would love to fly to NRT but slot availability has been the primary issue. I understand that an additional runway is being constructed and slots are likely to become available in 2009/10. Expect A380 to initially start the route with a A345 or B77W. One of the 60 odd A380s has already been set aside for a DXB-NRT service.
Rgds
Emirates777
Right, I've just read a press release which finally gives a very (very!) strong hint that LAX is about to open. CPT. I've also read that A345s are planned for a DXB-GIG-EZE flight FINALLY taking advantage of the argentinian rights (max 5 weekly i think). This should perform extremely well. I'd expect it to be de-segmented later however, & triple sevens/whale buses to fly it later.
NRT has got 2 runaways, although only one is capable of taking heavy B777/B747/A380 size aircraft. The other can take lighter widebodies. I don't know more than this. Could an A340-300 do it today? Slots I'd imagine would be much easier to obtain from the shorter runaway. I can understand entirely why they'd put an A380 on this later. Also, since NRT closes at 10pm, if the EK flight were the last one out, it would land DXB (or JXB...) around 4am. How would this affect connections, since the bulk of onward flights leaves around 8am....
Thanks guys for the talk about tag on japanese flights. I didn't realise HND has domestic only by japanese policy. I'd think opening it up to all internationals would do amazing things to the Japanese economy but hey...
Anyways, guessing the remaining destinations...
They said they'd do a lot in the Americas, so I'll start there
Obviously ORD is ready given that gates etc are being sorted out
SFO? Maybe later.
IAD/EWR...one of those...
Miami...via Madrid? They've said they'd like that...
Elsewhere...
BRU (big market + connections from africa). I'm not sure if tere are any limitations on this, but EY already fly their so what's stopping Emirates?
As said above...MAD, possibly BCN as well?
Anywhere in scandanavia? CPH/ARN
London Stansted
LED...not sure how moscow's going but it would be nice none the less
I'd imagine that any new European/shorter destinations would be later in the year & Airbus aircraft. The A380 will displace B77Ws which will displace smaller aircraft allowing them to fly new but smaller routes?