ncleflights - The NYC route is not the be all and end all to the airport management team, actually this is a route that the NE needs as the US is the biggest trading partner of NE England. It is not an unrealistic aspiration I have heard that it creates the biggest interest of any unserved route amongst the business and leisure traveling public in the North East! With lots of people having to use other airports, e.g. Manchester and Heathrow, when they would prefer a transatlantic flight direct from their local airport. **If Emirates works from NCL then there is no reason why NYC can’t as well!
As for FRA, this again is a route which should work and who is to say the airport are not working on this one too! One problem would be the perfect airline for the route is also the one who would loose the most from it, LH and DUS! I am sure the airport whilst wanting new routes is balancing the needs of other airport partner airlines Emirates/KLM/AF/BA. Running a successful regional airport is a balancing act!
*As for Mr Parkin I know from my time at the airport and a few inside sources, that he may have made the announcement, shortly before he was suspended! but it’s the people who are still at the airport who initiated the analysis, looking at the feasibility and who then delivered Emirates at the end of the day.
