Emirates increase Tasman flights

[Wirraway]

AAP

Emirates flies Melbourne-Christchurch
April 2, 2004

Emirates Airlines said it will begin flying from Melbourne to Christchurch from June 10 as an extension of its international route from Dubai.

The move marks the airline's second footprint in New Zealand, after Auckland, to which it began flights as an extension of its Australian services in August last year.

The new connection to Christchurch will be a continuation of the upcoming Dubai-Melbourne non-stop service, which Emirates will operate with the ultra long-haul Airbus 340-500 aircraft.

Initially flying three times a week, the service will double to six times a week from the beginning of August.

Emirates Group chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said Emirates was happy to offer yet another exciting destination to its passengers.

"Our Christchurch service will provide excellent connections for New Zealand passengers travelling to Australia, and onward to Europe, Africa or Middle Eastern cities via our Dubai hub," he said.

"Similarly, it will bring our customers from other parts of the world another speedy and convenient route to New Zealand."

The additions mean Emirates will offer a total of 27 flights a week to New Zealand by August.

It presently flies to Auckland daily via Sydney, daily via Singapore and Brisbane, and daily via Singapore and Melbourne.

©2003 AAP

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[slamer]

Oh well, no one said it's a level playing field!!!

[halas]

Ploise exploine?

halas

[Shinney Bum]

I wouldn't class Christchurch as being an exciting destination.

[Wheeler]

I don't know why you guys worry about them - try them once and its come back red rat, all is forgiven. I am at least one who will now avoid the desert mob like the plague!

[TAY 611]

Well there shinney bum if you are into mountains and skiing and stuff like that then I suspect CHC could be fairly exciting :}

[ZK-NSJ]

christchurch is way better than auckland anyhow.

[P51D]

Wheeler, I can only assume you missed out on selection or had a bad experience. EK are a true international airline and are trend-setters, they will try new things and routes when others opt to go into their burrows. Their expansion onto routes that others, including BA and QF, would not contemplate is testimony to their drive. Their load factors speak for themselves.

I have a view that the big white rat could learn from them and in terms of nationalities among cabin/tech crew it is truly international. I have been on more than a few services with EK in the last few years and I have never been disappointed with the service, in fact it has been above average. QF is OK, but is a tired product compared to EK, and in need of some rejuvenation.

[ernestkgann]

Mr Mustang,
I have a feeling that EK's customer service problems don't revolve around it's cabin crew or their service, indeed I believe the cabin crew and their service delivery are what most people from established countries with established airlines are impressed by the most. In my experience it's not these factors that drag EK down in comparison to BA.
The major factors for passengers travelling with EK compared to established airlines are the peripheral service areas.
In these areas the overbooking of first and business, poor customer service at Dubai, consistently late arrivals and departures, missing baggage and so on are the negatives in comparison to other airlines. Because EK operates all of its business without buffers , this means that everything is utilised to the max and therefore good for business, if something falls of the rails however, then it is very hard to recover. This means days trying to recapture the schedule after a disruption and poor service to it's customers. My belief is that it is these kind of things that may effect EK's business in the long run.

[Pimp Daddy]

They sh!t all over Qantas trans-Tasman

I know who I prefer now.

[The Enema Bandit]

Where's your patriotism? Don't send your money overseas and help screw our economy!

[Capt Stabbin]

Patriotism?

Didn't anybody tell you it's fashionable to hate Qantas these days? :ouch:

[Pimp Daddy]

Don't send your money overseas and help screw our economy!

I don't think US$90 return on a ZedFare will cripple the economy :rolleyes:

[The Enema Bandit]

Multiply each fare and it starts to add up. Let's all help to keep the jobs here.

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Patriotism, is a cop out. If you want people to support the local product, make it as good as what else is on offer. If the standards set by Emirates/Singapore/Malaysian etc are too much for Qantas and Air New Zealand to compete with then bad luck. Don't try and ask people to fly with Qantas when there is a better product on offer elsewhere, improve the product and the prople will fly with you.

Dunno about Wheeler experience, but 4 16 hours flights with Emirates in the last 18 months has shown me consistently they are a fantastic airline in all respects. I actually have found Dubai airport to be a pleasure, and while I didn't fly during the recent fog induced schedule problems, personally I have found them to be on time every flight. For every bad Emirates story I have heard 10 British Airways/Qantas horror stories. Anyway as someone said, the fact that the flights are all chock a block and they are increasing flights all the time to oz, says it all.

[International Trader]

Keep money in the Economy ?
Is that the new "help Qantas " policy?
I remember when Ansett was sunk by ANZ. Dicko claimed that QF was in greater danger of going under and the gov went off on a goose chase with them to buy ANZ instead of looking after the economy and the thousand of Australians put out of work . Now having dispatched the opposition they have the money to go into Asia and thrill them all with their low cost splendour.
So Ek come to their back yard and maybe can do it better.
Tough for QF, tough for the Australian economy. It's not EKs fault, it's the fault of QF for not providing a good enough service at or around home and the government's fault for only caring about QF and not the economy.
I still travel QF as I see it as a better product that "backpacker express" for the money. However the planes that I get are old and tatty, even if the other passengers don't smell. Service is poor.The staff just go through the motions of handing out cardboard boxes as they talk about their private lives like a couple of mums having coffee after dropping off the kids at school.Don't ask for something because you will interupt their conversation. I doubt the Tasman would have any better equipement , service or interested cabin attendants.
QF has to look after their own backyard as well as their new business or they will lose it. Simply, it is called competition.They won't be able to close or buy out EK, they must compete.
The winners, the travelling public and maybe their economy. That's the economy that matters.