However, I think the main reason (short term) is the London (Heathrow) slots. We have 5 flights a day to LHR and they're all about to become A380. We will also have a scheduled B77F cargo flight to start between Dubai and London in December. QF have a couple of slots they don't or will no longer use.
I agree. I can't see us operating through to London from Dubai for any longer than 12 months after we begin.
From whats been mentioned before, the transit times for our pax to change to Ek flights to Europe will be on average 6 hours or more. So if our 380 flights are full with pax going to london then it defeats the point of hubbing through Dubai. Or, as is the likely scenario, if most or all our pax are in transit to change to Emirates flights for Europe destinations, then we have basically empty A380s going Dubai to Heathrow daily.
What I think will happen is our dubai-London services will be cancelled within 12 months of it starting and the Heathrow slots being transferred (leased) to Emirates for their A380 operations and their connecting pax.
