I have used this route 4 times now and the load factors ranged from high to full, however i would think a 777 would be a challenge to fill on a daily basis, although I hope I`m wrong on that, the A330 isn`t the most comfortable plane to travel on in Y.
I have heard that the long awaited Newcastle - New york flight may be operated by a middle east carrier possibly with Etihad launcing services, Is this or an extended Emirates service a viable option for them?
I'm not sure what the advertising's like up there, but I'm sure the route will only grow as people become aware or the flight & connections.
Newcastle - New York I heard about too. Personally, I doubt it although I'm not sure what the travel mix is on flights like this (in particular reference to the HAM-JFK flights - what are the loads like? Is the TATL sector of the DXB-HAM-JFK mostly with DXB originating pax?) Since Continental are already flying to Newark, I doubt how a widebody would fit in...