EK Reducing Frequency of Flights to U.S. Due To Trump's Travel Ban

[troff]

https://www.google.ae/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/emirates-cuts-flights-america-trump-travel-ban-2017-4

On Wednesday, Emirates announced plans to reduce service to the US amid fallout from the Trump administration's more restrictive travel policies.

The Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based airline says it will cut down on the number of flights to five of the 12 cities it serves in the US.

Starting May 1, flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will be reduced from daily flights to five flights a week. The airline says it will make the same cuts to its Orlando, Florida, service starting May 23.

Starting June 1 and 2, Seattle and Boston service will be reduced to a single daily flight from two previously. Finally, beginning July 1, Emirates' twice-daily service to Los Angeles will be cut down to a single flight.

"This is a commercial decision in response to weakened travel demand to US," an airline representative told Business Insider. "The recent actions taken by the US government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting, and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air travel into the US."

Emirates said it had been experiencing steady US growth in the years before President Donald Trump took office but had seen a "significant deterioration" of bookings for US flights over the past three months. This fall in demand occurred concurrent with the Trump administration's travel restrictions covering several majority-Muslim countries (but not the United Arab Emirates), stricter visa regulations, and a carry-on laptop ban on some flights from the Middle East and North Africa.

[lospilotos]

Journo is talking about EK's 12 US destinations. I count only 11...

[Kobus Dune]

Blame the ban, it's so easy - for something which had to happen anyway ....

[ZFT]

Blame the ban, it's so easy - for something which had to happen anyway ....

The ban does impact travel plans. I had a trip booked from BKK to the States in October via ME and have rebooked via Europe to avoid potential hasstles as there is no knowing what other restriction could follow.

[A6EchoEchoUniform]

Blame the ban, it's so easy - for something which had to happen anyway ....

A lot of the two flights per day cities needed to be cut back anyhow. Loads weren't there to justify it. The ban, of course, provided the perfect opportunity

[White Knight]

journo is talking about ek's 12 us destinations. I count only 11...

lax,sfo, sea, iah, dfw, ord, iad, jfk, ewr, fll, mco, bos

[felixthecat]

Probably including Toronto, much to a Canadians disgust ;)

[InnocentBystander]

FLL never made any sense to begin with. The flight was never anywhere near 50% load factor. I sense that the US capacity dump didn't work and they found a handy culprit in the "travel and iPad ban" to blame. Remember nothing ever stems from EK mis-management. Ever.

[KATLPAX]

I have a trip booked to LAX next month, having a choice of airlines will I go EK? No, why? Checked the prices and as usual, the EK fare is priced roughly 2,000AED more in economy and 8-10k AED more in business compared to KL, AF, BA, LH are offering. AND if I book Economy Comfort on say AF, its about the same price as EK economy and I get to preview what seats are available before booking, a huge thing for such a long flight down in back.

And get this, start your trip from say DOH (DOH-DXB-LAX) and the business class fare is HALF of (DXB-LAX) or thereabouts on EK on the same flights! (11-12k vs. 22k) I feel, like many who have supported the airline over the years that I won't support this kind of treatment by our hometown airline.

Give us competitive fares, preview seat availability, and economy comfort and I'll gladly book the non stop on EK! Until then, too many good options out there.

[TOGA!]

KATLPAX

I feel your pain. Having been in this business too many years I have seen this argument over and over.

If you live in an airline hub city, be it in the ME, Europe or the US you will pay more money for a non stop flight out of that Hub city, than a connecting flight through that very same city from one of the spoke cities.

I have not looked at a travel web site, but I am willing to bet a cold one, that if you fly from Muscat or Doha through Dubai to LAX it is far cheaper than boarding that same flight and flying non stop from Dubai. Same could be said, I am sure, if you attempted to fly non stop from Doha to LAX, while a ticket from Dubai to Doha then onward to LAX would be cheaper. It is not the airline, it is the industry. This same point was argued by a prominent UAE businessman in the Gulf news several months ago and he seemed quite angry over Hub pricing, again you have to understand how the airlines price tickets and figure out how to best use it to your advantage. The airlines deem nonstop flight an advantage or a premium to the customer, which they charge you quite happily.

Unfortunately I don't think it will ever change and you will just have to connect thru another Hub to save money.

Good luck

[cerbus]

This is typical Arab blame game. The travel ban is not in effect.
How many passengers from the 6 countries originally on the list actually travel to the US on Emirates anyway? Somalia, only the very few who won the Green Card lottery and they have to travel to the US on an American airline.
Why can't EK just say our loads are down and we can't find enough qualified pilots even with our ridiculous low standards to crew the flights?

[fliion]

The growth has plateaued and the party is over. The Co is unable to right size a market with a 788 or 332 size aircraft, the only answer is the largest twin or quad in the world.

Long thin point to point 'hub bypass' flying increasing.

Bilaterals (Germany, Canada, India etc) and political headwinds in US - all make for gloomy skies.

The relevance for EK pilots - much longer upgrades. If you joined in last few years, the music has stopped. Get used to your seat. Attrition your only friend (reason for 'don't like it leave' posts perhaps)

And if you are thinking of joining - it's one thing to wait 10-12 years for an upgrade in home country with a major - totally different proposition to come to an outfit in Middle East that has treated its pilots dismally & has lots of work to do with their soft skills.

[lospilotos]

lax,sfo, sea, iah, dfw, ord, iad, jfk, ewr, fll, mco, bos

Yes of course, forgot about EWR. Thanks!

[Joker11]

Long thin point to point 'hub bypass' flying increasing.

Ultimately going to be the future. Looking already what airlines are doing with their A350 and B787

[Metro man]

Unfortunately I don't think it will ever change and you will just have to connect thru another Hub to save money.

A passenger flying DXB - LHR return occupies a seat which could be used by a passenger flying SYD - DXB - LHR return and he will pay nearly as much as the one starting his journey down under, who can easily choose another airline if the price isn't competitive.

Someone flying LHR - DOH return is going there for a specific reason such as work or for business and can't simply choose another destination like a leisure traveller can if he doesn't like the price.

Know how the system works with hub and spoke networks and use it to your advantage.

[FlyEmirates777]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-20/emirates-shifts-planes-eastward-as-trump-ban-stymies-u-s-plans

[Jetkopite]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-20/emirates-shifts-planes-eastward-as-trump-ban-stymies-u-s-plans

Just when you think things might ease up abit !!!!!!:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[notapilot15]

CAPA's take on the situation. First time in the history Emirates aviation analysis, terms like overcapacity and parking were used.

https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/emirates-has-multiple-reasons-for-cutting-back-on-us-capacity-340326

[glofish]

At least these words sound more neutral than "acquisition of inappropriate equipment" or "too high an attrition rate of employees in addition to recruitment problems".
Both would point directly and uniquely at management ....

[Rainman7]

Just wait until the US H1B visa fraud is exposed and ended, there goes half of EK's passengers into the US with no where to go.....guess we won't need all those India flights after all.

[notapilot15]

Well, Runway Girl is not mincing words.

https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2017/04/21/is-emirates-experiencing-economic-turbulence-of-its-own-making/

[fatbus]

Good read, too bad EK management will ignore. It's just their way!

[Machrihanish]

CAPA's take on the situation. First time in the history Emirates aviation analysis, terms like overcapacity and parking were used.
Worse, the KBE is reported uttering the word equilibrium.

The 3rd blow after Trump, Brexit.

[fliion]

United just cancelled all interline with EK & FZ.

A little ATH-EWR push back perhaps.

[halas]

And Homeland Security announced last night they may extend the ban to Europe and UK.

Three US airlines won't like that.

halas

[ironbutt57]

A lot of the two flights per day cities needed to be cut back anyhow. Loads weren't there to justify it. The ban, of course, provided the perfect opportunity


thats the reality of it

[PositiveRate876]

JFK EK207 cut from June. Make total US cuts 25% now.

[Talparc]

be prepared: more cuts will be coming up
and some forced once will be in the pipeline too!