Middle East airlines opening European bases???

[flygirl330]

Has anyone heard about EK EY... to open a base in Heathrow???
Just heard this rumor but I have no idea if it is true or not...do you know anything???

[StygerTim]

Or perhaps buy an airline based at LHR ?

Could be one going cheap soon.

Lots of slots, new kit, new Terminal, top management too new to qualify for full redundancy package, no albatross of regional operation, understands dealing with Middle East + transatlantic etc.

Oh , and don't the Irish get on well with the guys from the desert ?

Could T5 be part of a great big plot ?

[Donkey497]

I've heard on the grapevine that EK might be looking to open a service to EDI as part of a general expansion to other european destinations, but I haven't heard anything about bases. But then again, I wouldn't be surprised if EK or EY do open a European base or maybe even a secondary hub, but I would seriously doubt that it would be at LHR.

I'd probably second guess somewhere less expensive, less congested and somewhat more passenger friendly. Maybe STN as LGW is too passenger unfriendly, and like T5 it's more shopping mall than point of departure.

[jumbo1]

EK open a hub?
Excuse me while I have a laughing fit.....:D:D:D

[rubik101]

In the past, the global hubs for long-haul centred on the East coast of the USA, Europe, LHR, CDG, FRA, Asia and the Pacific rim. With the advent of the super long-range aircraft and the A380, the European hubs will be by-passed. Why stop over in LHR when you can either go direct or fly one-stop via the Gulf of Arabia? LHR will become a destination and not a transit stop, with good reason.
Transit passengers will avoid LHR if at all possible and choose to take the far superior product pairing of airline and airport for their journey in the future. The demise of LHR might be a long way off but I predict it will happen in time.
The Gulf Airlines are moving in now to poach customers to their product and once secured will drain passengers away from the established, worn-out airports to the new airports springing up all over the Gulf.
I'm just surprised it hasn't happened sooner.

[flygirl330]

Malpensa needs a new airline based there to launch a "new Malpensa"

[captplaystation]

Think ol Micky Blue Eyes made them a proposition a while back, but they weren't too keen on letting him compete with the homegrown Alitalia / Air One duo.
Maybe after the AZ/AF deal settles or flounders they might be tempted to lure RYR back to replace BGY with a new Milano/Torino Malpensa base.

[MUFC_fan]

If EK were to open an EU base I would be surprised if it was from an airport that was served heavily by the big EU airlines (LHR, CDG, FRA, AMS etc.)

Would more expect it to go to secondary cities such as MAN, MXP, DUS etc.

But I wouldn't expect a new EK base soon.

[wannabe-aviator]

Middle East Airlines is te National Airline of the Republic of Lebanon, your Title is the most confussing title on PPRUNE HISTORY.


Mind you if its an April fools jokes the title had me going for about 5.2 seconds heehee.

WA:ok: