Stansted has already been used by the EK 777F on a number of occasions this year notably transporting horses for the Dubai World Cup. The airport is now owned by the Manchester airport consortium and an £80m update of the terminal building has just commenced. I personally feel that this is a missed opportunity for EK and other Middle East airlines as in the case of EK they could see increased pax loads from Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire, many of whom do not wish to travel all the way down to LHR and LGW but are left with no other option for Long haul travel.
In 2015 Thomas Cook is starting Long haul flights from STN to Las Vegas, Cancun and Orlando which I suspect will be very successful.
With fast direct links to the city of London either by train or coach I believe that there are many Middle East businessman who could benefit hugely from a closer link to the City of London. EK also has the Emirates experience close to Canary Wharf which would be reached much more easily from a train direct from STN than either LHR or lGW.
STN needs to shrug off its low cost mantle and try and encourage a scheduled long haul operation and I believe the Manchester consortium may be just the people to make this happen.
Interestingly on any Summer day in the UK a visit to STN will find aircraft from every Middle East Royal family parked on the Executive side.
I hope the initial rumour that an EK flight may start next year comes to fruition because I am sure it would be a great success because surprisingly some of the most well off and well travelled people live in this small corner of the UK.