EK cancels Panama route launch
 

After postponing the start of the service, now several media are reporting that EK will not launch the Panama route on 31MAR16 as planned. Reason for this last minute decision remains a secret only 3 weeks from the first flight.

Reservations are blocked in the booking system.

While very unusual for EK to announce, postpone and then cancel (time being) it has happened before. Harare and Kano come to mind.

Looks like Auckland took its spot. That started yesterday went to a 77L today

4 A380s on the ground lined up in AKL yesterday impressive sight!

Emirates in this week’s schedule update has removed planned operational schedule for Dubai – Panama City route, previously scheduled to commence on 31MAR16. The airline originally planned to operate this route on daily basis with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. Reservations for this route, including Copa Airlines’ CM-coded flight numbers, is no longer available, as well as Emirates – Copa Airlines codeshare service via Panama to Colombia.

Previously planned schedule as follow.

EK251 DXB0805 – 1625PTY 77L D
EK252 PTY2230 – 2330+1DXB 77L D

Just announced service starts at the end of 2016 or perhaps early 2017 due to fleet utilization and global economic conditions. :ooh:

Various articles claiming this sets a new record for the longest commercial flight of 17:35 hours. Reality was 15:12 flight time and 15:37 block. As usual, one can always rely on the press for accuracy.

Lufthansa started PTY yesterday. Copa (who EK was going to code share with) is in the Star Alliance with Lufthansa.

I would hazard a guess that the Germans gave Copa an ultimatum of working with them or working with Emirates instead and even leaving the Star Alliance if they chose the latter, given the less than cordial relations between Lufthansa and Emirates at present.

Certainly a lack of crew to operate this would be a main factor.

See they are restricting AKL to one flight per month per crew.

Can't have crew bid for three AKL's in top bid and have no room left for the odd sh!tty night turns can we?

halas

Was my thought as well, there will be sum pussed uff Neew Zulunders about that.
Just goes to show that the upstairs still can't let go of the micromanaging mantra and all those pilots leaving must be just delusional.

Instead, EK (silently) implements a codeshare agreement with S7 Airlines out of DME. Classy ! :}
Source: Emirates / S7 Airlines Launches Codeshare Service from March 2016 | Airline Route

I see a LOT of codeshare coming EK's way in this year due to being a bit shy of crew to fly all the new airplanes.

No idea what they'll do with the un-utilized fleet and where will they park them. Maybe over at DXB World so it's not obvious?

K

Longest in air distance. Return , I think , @ 1715 block and PTY 1725. All for not when QR does AKL . They will hold the rccord and I say good for them. I wonder what EK has planned next, biggest, longest , shortest what ever. You do get tired of this BS.

Westbound EK449 sector has been planned at 16h20m-16h40m TRIP time so far. Considering it arrives at 0145z (during peak) and carries the planned additional, it can and will approach the block time on certain days.