It's boxing day though to LHR as it enters Tier 4 lockdown. There's a reason they upped this from 4 to 5 daily last week.
Another driving factor has to be Expo 2020 - now running October 21 until March 22.
They have invested $33 Bn into this event. They are also spending the cash to buy up vaccinations, likely with the overarching aim of being deemed safe by the travelling public. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if their goal is to announce themselves as the first country to be fully immunised in time for the Expo.
That really puts the EK $2 Bn state aid in perspective. Would they be quietly encouraged to get flights running 6 months earlier than otherwise needed?
Would they let the $33 Bn already spent be a failure because of limited flight options to Dubai? They were expecting a minimum of 25million additional visitors to Dubai, and up to 100 million. This will of course be lower due to COVID - but still significant compared with current flight ops in/out of Dubai. (On a good year EK moves 60 million pax.)
With the country immunised, travel restrictions open, and the Expo starting - actually there might be some real demand to meet. Even if temporary.
Now ask yourself - are they the type of people to bet big, and envisage Expo 2020 being the kickoff to a global recovery, capturing headlines as others are still in lockdown - A time to shine in front of the World, increase market share and get people travelling on EK for the first time? OR - are they the type to admit defeat and watch it fail.
Maybe this is the reason for the positive rumours flying around. Maybe this explains the rush.
Last edited by Xulu; 26th Dec 2020 at 20:50.