There has been recent comment regarding a third daily EK and first class ex BHX on EK. I take about 5 business class trips a year to Thailand. Usually I will fly from Amsterdam at about £1,500 on LX or OS. Add in the cost of a KL flight to get there and you're still saving £700 - £900 over what EK is asking for substandard business class seats out of BHX.
I have just got back from my latest trip which was on EY out of that airport in the north west we're not allowed to mention. The fare was just over £1,700 and that included a chauffeur drive car to and from my home in Birmingham.
My view is that EK are getting sufficient people prepared to pay the high fares they charge but that introducing a third flight would not generate sufficient extra yield to justify it. Given that they quite often use a 3 class aircraft on the BHX route, I don't understand why they don't officially market a first class product.