Change to direct AKL

[donpizmeov]

There will be some unhappy Kiwis with this announcement.

Emirates to launch daily A380 flights to Auckland | GulfNews.com (http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/emirates-to-launch-daily-a380-flights-to-auckland-1.1839712)

[Wizofoz]

I honestly don't want to start the AvB debate- the Fatbus is great on the right route- but how much can it actually carry on a 17 1/2 hour flight?

[Monarch Man]

Wiz I'm guessing it's all about the premium seats, as well as offering a superior product in Y to the Qatar product which is better than the 200LR offering in our birds.
As for payload, they are going to have to block about 100 seats or so in Y to make it work as well as sending all the freight via Oz just like they've been doing, or tacking on a 77F sector from SYD etc.
I've done the trip twice, it's a killer, but I did have 3 very happy colleagues able to go home and visit family.
Sky cargo will hate it, but the pax will love it, and if it won't make money or at least break even, EK wouldn't do it.

[donpizmeov]

I can't believe they made this decision without checking with the 777 training department first Wiz. Will they ever learn? Thank God Monach is there to provide info from a 380 performance perspective.
You fellas need to get out a bit more.
If it works it works. If it doesn't it doesn't. We are not paid enough to care.

[Monarch Man]

If it works it works. If it doesn't it doesn't. We are not paid enough to care.

Pretty much sums it up, besides, think of the savings for EK with regards to broken aeroplanes, spares and of course engineer type validations, I'd imagine all that extra money will go into next years pay review, cough cough choke...

[Wizofoz]

Monarch- thanks, interesting.

don- not up to your usual standard- imagine someone discussing aviation on an aviation website! Rough night old fella?

[donpizmeov]

Rough year so far Wiz. Fair cop gov.

[Wizofoz]

No sweat- same with us all.

You might be interested to know I've "taken steps".

[donpizmeov]

Don't blame you mate. You are not on your Pat malone. Hope it works out smoothly.

[777-200LR]

Who wants to sit 17+ hrs without wifi or any live TV? I believe only one of our -200LR have been retrofitted. Plus, we could used the extra man power somewhere else like KBL and BGW

[champair79]

I was on the flight on the 26th May (reg was EWB) and that had wifi/live TV. I was under the impression the older -200LR's had been retrofitted. Maybe I got lucky!

Champ

[helen-damnation]

Much as I like AKL and the Kiwis, I won't be bidding for it. LAX and IAH are bad enough!

[Enos]

Bad News

As for an older 77L than EWB in the fleet it's EWA.

At least we have all those other CHOICE destinations some starting with L

Cheers and happy flying Enos

[Rotating Bacon]

seriously, now they come up with he seat blocking theory again, you used that already when the 380 started to fly to LAX.

[Monarch Man]

R Bacon,

The numbers don't lie, go and have a look at GABI (AKL-DXB) yourself, then subtract about 235 (fuel with a low headwind component) from a MTOW of 575...and you get? 345 on a good day, then take off the DOW, and hey presto..PAYLOAD!
Now, hmmmm whats the average pax weight including bags out of NZ on a LH flight thats premium heavy, I'll let you decide, but it equates to about 100 blocked Y seats..ish, unless of course you want to be on the whale at BUBIN at 5am with no holding fuel.

[Wizofoz]

What's the fuel capacity of the A380? I did AKL-DXB, and had to leave with less than OFP fuel as they filled the LR and it didn't get to the required figure.

[Capn Rex Havoc]

254 Tonnes

[kumul1]

Well that kills the rumor that the B777 on the ground in Akl was going to do a quick Nadi shuttle!!

[glofish]

seriously, now they come up with he seat blocking theory again, you used that already when the 380 started

Read the latest incident reports! EK OPS gives you the answer .......b:\

[Emma Royds]

A 380 with restricted capacity is exactly what is needed on such a route, economics aside. I did the trip recently and on the way back with a full load, half of the Economy toilets were inop in the last couple of hours due to full waste tanks. Many hungry and bored pax were up and about in the last few hours and having more space would most welcome to both passengers and crew.

If you want to do the sums for a 380 then look at the OFP for the inaugural flight there and back that was operated by a 380. The load on both ways was not more than two thirds full if I can recall correctly.

This is nothing more than a headline grabbing exercise. The 380 starts in December and Qatar starts direct AKL in Febuary with their triple and then eventually using the 350, which I am sure beats any of our 77L airframes hands down.

[JAARule]

had to leave with less than OFP fuel as they filled the LR and it didn't get to the required figurer
And you did it?

[donpizmeov]

Could be back on the Boeing by Jan if the loads stay low. There is only so much money you can waste right?

[Emma Royds]

The engineers in AKL will say that getting all the fuel in the tanks on the return can be a problem. When I did the trip we were short changed by a few hundred kilos but we still had copious amounts of additional plus Muscat, so it was no drama. We did leave over three tonnes of apples behind though, that were sat in pallets waiting to be loaded until the company decided to carry fuel in lieu of freight.

As part of the cock waving 'mine is bigger than yours' mentality in the Arab world, once on the 380 then it shall remain I suspect. To put it back on the triple would be a mea culpa of significant magnitude.

[Wizofoz]

And you did it?

Yes.

They had put substantial extra fuel on, so in consultation with dispatch, we came up with a safe, legal solution that got the job done.

Kept a good close eye on things, saved where we could en-route, and after one turn at Bubin landed with about 7.5.

You know, being a professional.

[uba737]

It has taken me 8+ years to realize that all of us EK PILOTS are the biggest collection on A$$ HOLES in the aviation industry!!!!!! We fight and argue about every F###ING thing! No wonder the BOUNCY CASTLE has 0 respect for us, we have 0 respect for ourselves!!!

[fatbus]

Uba737 couldn't agree more. Management must laugh at us. Attrition is not near as bad as some would believe .

[uba737]

fat's when are you out of here?

[fatbus]

Very soon!

[777-200LR]

uba737,

In my 9 year membership on this site, I haven't seen a more true statment than yours! :D:D:D

We are our own worst enemies, and we are comedy central to the viewers in the bouncy castle!

[uba737]

777, we are a sad bunch!!!

[Rotating Bacon]

monarch, when I used to work for EK on every LAX trip I blocked 100 Y seats, just like you 777 smartie pants predicted, of course I did the same on the IAH.

[donpizmeov]

That was because you use to slow down to let the freighter with the bags keep up. 250 seats blocked for M0.87.

[JAYTO]

So the company has announced the "upgrade" to the Auckland flight to the A380. Dont they normally bang on about how many more seats will be available with the change. Seems to be missing from this announcement.
With so many coming. They got to send them somewhere.

J

[donpizmeov]

You are absolutely correct Jayto, they found they had a few spare on the lot so drew straws on where they should go.