Emirates vs. Air Canada

[Wxgeek]

Here are my reservations:

How many high paying jobs will Emirates bring to Canada? My guess is none. All the decent Pilot jobs will still be offshore in Dubai and Canadians will get the low paying positions loading planes and selling tickets. These are jobs but not high paying jobs that are necessarily attractive to the government who is looking to protect their tax base.

If the a particular route is overserved, it becomes a game of which airline has the deepest pockets. In a Emirates vs AC battle, AC does not have the deepest pockets. I can see AC cutting frequency if Emirates picks up Canadian destinations.

If that happens the high paying Canadian based Pilot positions will disappear and so will the Canadian income taxes for those positions.

You can try to characterize this as a Emirates vs AC fight if you wish but it really is a case of a Canadian government protecting their income tax base.

Last point: Issuing threats on a Canadian base in UAE really leaves a bad taste in Canadians mouths. Whoever though it was a good idea should be fired.

Reports: UAE threatens to boot Canadian military base over airline flight dispute

Canadians are putting their lives on the line to stabilize that part of the world. For the emirates to attempt to advance their commercial interests by using UAE bases as a stick will backfire IMVHO. Canadians consumers and the government do not like it.