O/T - Emirates increase GLA service
 

Potentially more loss of pax for BA from Scotland, as EK have announced a second daily service from GLA to DXB and beyond.

They are also introducing First Class on both sercives to replace the former two class Business/Economy on the current 777-300ER operated service.

Good news, with any luck they'll launch it with some special fares too!

Not sure that it will really make much difference to BA though - EK already have a direct flight and comparable prices. Those that are travelling GLA-LHR-DXB are presumably only doing this either to accrue/use miles, or because that's their travel policy.

But it increases capacity on the route. If you assume that everyone would have travelled anyway, then what that does is take those people now flying on the second plane per day away from the other carriers they would have flown on and onto EK. Not all of them would have been BA, but some of them would be.

It's also not just about DXB - it's about onward connections from DXB (and that is EK's strategy, much as KLM - act as a hubbing airline mainly). Afterall, GLA-DXB-SYD is less hassle than GLA-LHR-SIN/BKK-SYD and doing ultra long-haul some people will see fewer connections as preferential.

Totally agree DXB connection means less stops and much more convenience. Also EK usually offers miles accelerator when it adds any new route or upgrades the aircraft.

That's true, although sometimes the long layover time at DXB can make this option very unattractive. A second service will potentially go some way to resolving this.

Well they have got to send all these aircraft somewhere ;)

cs

So that's put paid to the rumour that EDI might get EK service. :( Though I suppose GLA being an hour West and NCL a couple of hours South makes it a bit unlikely anyway?

Although was there not mumblings for QR setting up at EDI?

There will be an announcement next week seemingly from another Middle East airline regarding a service to Scotland.

The new EK service will operate with the A343.

Yeah, I think I must have just guessed that this was the announcement. So surely then it wouldn't be EK? It would be more logical for QR to strike up with EDI. Or am I missing something incredibly obvious?

Kinda OT, but did Emirates not used to have adverts on the big billboards as you drive into EDI?

According to the press release, it will be the first F cabin flying out of Scotland. Suites on the A340, I believe?

ONLY - yes
FIRST - I doubt it, given what used to go through PIK back in the day...

EK seem to be filling the UK's eastbound long distance market from the regions fairly nicely. Shame they aren't one-world.

Perhaps NQY-DXB soon? cornishsimon might like that :D

QR tends to launch new European routes with an A319 eg TXL and ARN. It will easily be able to fill a plane of that size ex-EDI were it to win traffic rights.

Hopefully this will reduce the loads on GLA-LON shuttles ^

It did. I used to chuckle seeing as list of places I couldn't fly from EDI.

Much like the RBS board that was also there ...