and the incessant rumour of EK is a definate non starter.
Totally agree in the initial context of seeing an EK aircraft routing westbound out of NCL, but presumably any shred of rationality that is consistent with the rumour is that what was being 'floated' was in reality the possibility of an EK code share with a US legacy carrier. As viewed in numerous other postings as extremely unlikely, it does however present some support as a business case. EK have their DXB end hub well sorted & indeed I suspect that more pax out of NCL than not, are in fact onwards travelers on the EK network. Pax no.'s & LF's are very relevant but so are fare levels and business pax & onwards travelers all generate more revenue than the basic NCL-DXB & return Y punter. Taking this a stage further then if EK were able to code share out of NCL west bound and the two aircraft met head to head on timings (quite possible) then it would open up another access in the market to EK. There is a 'boat load' of Gulf bound business being generated from the US. Much traditionally went through LHR, & given a lot of this will with LR capable equipment coming on stream migrate to non stop routings. By nature it all won't, there will always be some pax in the system requiring another timing means of access. Such pax transiting NCL in such an operation would no doubt be quite limited but they would in all likelihood be paying higher than basic Y fares and they would support the LF's
Conversely the above scenario does nothing to support that LS or any other carrier relying on point to point only 'Y' revenue would fare any better than GSM out of LPL EVEN if GSM had sorted their reliability & image issues.
Whatever transpires over the next few years I can not see any NCL - US operation being a success that does not aim to derive what benefit that may be available from an onwards connection to the gulf region.