Emirates A340-500 MEL-KUL

[mourgo]

Emirates have new flights from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur utilizing the A340-500. Why are they using long range airbuses for an 8 hour flight? Is there no use for them anywhere else? I believe they will switch to the 777 from June 2010. What will happen to the A340-500 after that?

[kiwiandrew]

I am not sure whether I am allowed to post links to another site ... but airlineroutes.net published an update on EK a few weeks ago

Emirates 2010/11 Operation Plan – Update 4 AIRLINE ROUTE UPDATES (http://airlineroute.net/2010/01/31/ek-201011-update4/#more-16960)



It showed the A340-500 ultra long haul routes being switched over to 77W/77Ls and the 340-500s going on to medium length routes such as LOS / SEZ / ADD-EBB etc . Presumably they are finding the 777s more economical on the longer routes .

[Tinwacker]

Mourgo:

My company has been flying B747s on one to two hour sectors for years...
B777-300ERs now following the same route.
This has been to maximise the hours used in between normal long haul sectors.
Maybe that is EKs direction albeit an eight hour sector spread across the fleet.

TW