Emirates was offered the route to operate 4 days a week. This was brought up at the pilots meeting in September. We were told at the meeting that we will loose money operating 4 days a week unless we were to get a good code share agreement with Air Canada, which is not happening. Emirates never intentionaly looses money. With no date for going to 7 days a week EK passed.
Vne98, that rumor is not true. EK was offered the route first and passed. Etihad is not concerned with making money at this point so they will operate any route possible to get the jump on ANY competitor! Qatar wants to fly to JFK, and I read an article this summer quoting AAB stating that they know they will loose millions of dollars on the route but they will do it anyway.
That is the way of the middle east.
Regards,
330 man