Emirates BNE base?
I was told today that Emirates will open a BNE base soon.
Is this true? What flying will they do?
As BNE would be a foreign based port I can only see the crew doing Australia-Asia, maybe Dubai, but I doubt they will go anywhere else, as with Lauda.
It's certainly a great opportunity for those interested in flying. Australia hasn't been a host for many international carriers in the past, UA talked about it years ago but decided not to do it. I think it's a great thing to allow foreign airlines to base here, many other countries do, and it gives us a chance to continue with our careers. All that said, forein crews (as we would be) are at the disposal of the mother company and are therefore not secure, but at least it opens a window.
We have been limited to national carriers for too long. Any airline willing to employ locals as crew should be given the go ahead. We are one of the only countries that doesn't have this in place, except for the now defunct Lauda crew. I think it's a great thing, but any operator coming here has to deal with the FAAA, which can be tough.
I would like to see Emirates come in, as well as many others. It keeps our options open.