PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Has the Middle East Peaked as a Hub ?
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Old 8th Jun 2020, 00:57
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krismiler
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Asia
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Anchorage in Alaska is still a major hub but for cargo, not passengers. Any change is likely to be gradual and EK seem to have realised this with the new fleet shifting towards smaller A350s and B787s. The line on the growth graph may be shifting from steady and upward into a slow decline.

Unfortunately there isn't much for the ME 3 in the immediate surrounding area, and they rely on connecting people from cities which are a considerable distance from their main base. The long haul and premium traveller segments have been hit hardest and will take the longest to recover. Where non stop flights aren't possible, transits are likely to be restricted to virus free countries with strong controls. Taiwan is one of the least affected countries in the world and there would be little concern about joining pax or crew layovers in Taipei for example.

The ME 3 are global airlines and a large portion of their networks will be off limits for some time to come, airlines which are more focused towards regions which are virus free will be less affected as a smaller proportion of their networks will remain closed.

Ethiopian Airlines will be even worse off due to their location and focus on Africa. China Airlines and EVA Air may experience a surge in demand. Vietnam was largely spared from the virus and could be an increasingly popular destination. Fiji could replace Bali for Australian holiday makers.

The next couple of years will see some major changes in travel patterns.
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