Wirraway
5th May 2004, 15:33
Thurs "The Australian"
Emirates will use Auckland as global hub, says Air NZ
By Steve Creedy
May 06, 2004
AIR New Zealand believes Emirates will use New Zealand to launch trans-Pacific services as part of the Dubai-based airline's plans to establish itself as a global airline.
Air NZ chief executive Ralph Norris told the Australian Competition Tribunal yesterday that Emirates had made no secret of its plans to become a global airline.
Mr Norris believes Emirates has found flying across the Pacific from New Zealand a better option than operating from Australia, which has already rejected similar proposals from Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific.
He suggested Emirates was keen to establish a hub in Auckland and later went into a closed tribunal session to further discuss the claim.
Air New Zealand and Qantas are arguing that increased competition from Emirates and low-cost carrier Pacific Blue means that a decision to reject their proposed alliance should be overturned.
Mr Norris said Emirates was about to fly from Dubai to New York and was planning to extend services to Vancouver and San Francisco.
"That gives them the opportunity to provide what no other carrier can provide - a seamless international service," he said.
Local Emirates management did not return calls yesterday, but a representative had previously expressed surprise when approached by The Australian about suggestions of a New Zealand hub.
Emirates operates 21 flights a week from Australia to Auckland, with direct services from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The airline uses the same long-haul aircraft it uses on its Dubai services, in a bid to increase their utilisation, allowing it to offer full international amenities and service at a lower cost.
Mr Norris said linking those flights to the US would give the airline, which had a fleet of 61 large aircraft and the biggest order for more planes currently in the marketplace, the ability to offer Australian passengers the ability to fly through New Zealand and across the US.
He rejected suggestions by senior ACCC counsel Rowan Dark that Emirates' limited trans-Tasman flights did not meet the demands of high-yielding business passengers.
In other evidence, Mr Norris revealed that the Star Alliance in 2002 considered starting an Australian domestic airline to fill the gap left by the collapse of Ansett.
But he said the alliance had come to the same conclusion as Air NZ - that it was not economically viable.
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Emirates will use Auckland as global hub, says Air NZ
By Steve Creedy
May 06, 2004
AIR New Zealand believes Emirates will use New Zealand to launch trans-Pacific services as part of the Dubai-based airline's plans to establish itself as a global airline.
Air NZ chief executive Ralph Norris told the Australian Competition Tribunal yesterday that Emirates had made no secret of its plans to become a global airline.
Mr Norris believes Emirates has found flying across the Pacific from New Zealand a better option than operating from Australia, which has already rejected similar proposals from Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific.
He suggested Emirates was keen to establish a hub in Auckland and later went into a closed tribunal session to further discuss the claim.
Air New Zealand and Qantas are arguing that increased competition from Emirates and low-cost carrier Pacific Blue means that a decision to reject their proposed alliance should be overturned.
Mr Norris said Emirates was about to fly from Dubai to New York and was planning to extend services to Vancouver and San Francisco.
"That gives them the opportunity to provide what no other carrier can provide - a seamless international service," he said.
Local Emirates management did not return calls yesterday, but a representative had previously expressed surprise when approached by The Australian about suggestions of a New Zealand hub.
Emirates operates 21 flights a week from Australia to Auckland, with direct services from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The airline uses the same long-haul aircraft it uses on its Dubai services, in a bid to increase their utilisation, allowing it to offer full international amenities and service at a lower cost.
Mr Norris said linking those flights to the US would give the airline, which had a fleet of 61 large aircraft and the biggest order for more planes currently in the marketplace, the ability to offer Australian passengers the ability to fly through New Zealand and across the US.
He rejected suggestions by senior ACCC counsel Rowan Dark that Emirates' limited trans-Tasman flights did not meet the demands of high-yielding business passengers.
In other evidence, Mr Norris revealed that the Star Alliance in 2002 considered starting an Australian domestic airline to fill the gap left by the collapse of Ansett.
But he said the alliance had come to the same conclusion as Air NZ - that it was not economically viable.
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