I am booked on flight EK29 from DXB to LHR in November. I have just received notification that the arrival time has been put back 20 mins - the departure time has not changed.

Do you think this is indicative of a slight route change to avoid potential trouble spots ?

Just being curious

I received a similar email for another destination sometime in August. Likely an ATC/ground time adjustment?

In one case (see vociferous discussion on another thread), there was an equipment change as well.

By the way: routes over "trouble spots" have long been changed for LHR-DXB (now over Iran instead of Iraq).

I know this is a dumb question but by equipment change do you mean a change in aircraft

^^^

I also got the emails for my flights in November /December


EK16 LGWDXB will land at DXB at 0040 (instead of 0035)
Departure time from LGW remains as 1335.

EK15 DXB LGW will depart DXB at 0740(instead of 0800) and arrive at LGW at 1140 (instead of 1150)

Yes

I will be more than a little peed off if my flight is changed from an A380 to a 777. thats for sure. The business product on the 777 doesnt begin to compare with the A380, thats for sure

Received an e-mail about an hour ago with the same thing for my PEK-DXB flight in November. Departure time the same. Arrival time 10 minutes earlier. An extra 10 minutes in the lounge (hopefully ).

Safe & Happy Travels

S

I would be upset, too. I am flying out of IAD instead of my home PHL just to fly the A380. peed would not be my expression, to say the least.

JMG and Steveben - be VERY, VERY careful! You are likely to be flamed by posters to this site, who find anyone with the audacity to question EK's tactics in changing aircraft. After all, there is nothing in their contract that states that they are obliged to fly the aircraft originally scheduled (duh!)! I do hope that you purchased your flights from EK, like I did when my LAX-DXB aircraft was switched out from an A380 to a 777, with the only 'notification' being a change in arrival time. For those who 'flamed' me for using the term 'executive assistant' - think 'flight attendant' versus 'stewardess'. On this side of the Atlantic, we've not used the word 'stewardess' for decades (unlike our UK bretheren, apparently). Same thing with 'exec assistant' and 'secretary', folks. But, I digress.....

It strikes me as grossly unfair that an airline can switch the plane and thereby adversely effect the quality of the product, without paying compensation. I cannot think of any other industry that would be able to get away with that.

Having said that however, i guess if I were originally booked on a 777 and the plane was changed to an A380 I would not be happy if asked to pay extra for the better quality product

p.s. well at least stewardess is better than trolley dolly

Let's not make this all about you eh?

The emails are regarding time minor changes, not changes to aircraft. I've received 2 over the weekend.

Trouble spots? No. A change like this is normally just a matter of a change to reflect weather changes/to reflect real flight time average changes/etc... If it was an issue with trouble spots they wouldn't be waiting till November to make the change.

I have no idea what you are referencing. And of course they can change the equipment. I am saying I would be disappointed. Thats all that either of us had said. And what would I care what anybody has to say on here that is condescending? What are you talking about with the Executive Assistant, etc.? I don't know last time anybody said stewardess. I also don't remember the last time they allowed smoking on a plane.
Fun-Fact: Did you know that stewardesses is the longest single word that you can type using only the left-handed keys on a qwerty board?
Anyways, I have not flown on the A380 yet, so that is why I hope to. I imagine the 777 has a nice First cabin as well...

Also, a change in equipment under International General Rules allows for a customer to change their flight, free of any fees.

Change of Equipment: (Unacceptable to the passenger)
AREA: ZZ TARIFF: IPRGCXR: AARULE: 0002
TITLE/APPLICATION - 70
STANDARD FORMAT OF ELECTRONIC RULES
Penalties-86 Category 15 4(c)iii

Furthermore, a refund or change without penalty at option to the passenger is in order when there is more than 60 total minutes in change to arrival and/or departure time. Let me know if you want the � for that.