A lack of seats on the Trans-atlantic, not the case, with thousands of flights making the cross every 24 hrs. What they need is a codeshare and not deployment of their own fleet. In my opnion that's how an Airline's network is built.
Codeshares don't come easy these days though. Northwest made it conditional that all airlines on codeshare with them have a sizeable e-ticketing set up by Jan'07 otherwise they won't renew. Watch the other carriers like AA follow suite. In the mideast this is an all new concept and emirates (56%, my guess is coz of transits) is the leader at the moment, Gulf Air falls far behind at less than 5% on their international routes and only 13% (majority staff related) on their intergulf structure. There is something to be said about e ticketing. People are not used to it out in the mideast. Its like asking someone to pay by credit card when all they have is cash. To some, they need the evidence that they purchased something and a printout just won't cut it.
Furthermore, Apparently GF was loosing about $1 million a month on their New york route when they had one, Flights were full but the price wasn't meeting their cost. Money in the cofines will determine what backbone strategy they might cough up when time comes. Something tells me there is not much of a backbone let alone a head at the pink palace. Some direction is much needed. With the engines at idle or out of fuel, there is not much altitude to gain before u get into a stall..............