newstodate.aero
Nov 17, 2006 (newstodate): Delayed deliveries of the Airbus A380 to Emirates have a deep impact on the carrier's route planning.
The shortage of aircraft capacity has forced the airline to rethink its program of route openings, and among new planned destinations to be hit is Copenhagen.
-I am afraid the delay in deliveries of our A380 aircraft means that we have to postpone a number of new destinations including Copenhagen, but I am still hopeful we will start services by the end of 2007 or early '08, says Mike Simon, Emirates senior VP corporate communications.
The carrier originally intended to launch services between Dubai and Copenhagen from October 3 with four weekly A330-200 flights, increasing to daily operations from October 29, but the start-up date was since postponed for various reasons, and the A380 production problems have since forced a further revision of the plans.
With orders for 45 A380 Emirates is by far the single largest customer, now expecting the first delivery by August 2008.
The shortage of aircraft capacity has forced the airline to rethink its program of route openings, and among new planned destinations to be hit is Copenhagen.
-I am afraid the delay in deliveries of our A380 aircraft means that we have to postpone a number of new destinations including Copenhagen, but I am still hopeful we will start services by the end of 2007 or early '08, says Mike Simon, Emirates senior VP corporate communications.
The carrier originally intended to launch services between Dubai and Copenhagen from October 3 with four weekly A330-200 flights, increasing to daily operations from October 29, but the start-up date was since postponed for various reasons, and the A380 production problems have since forced a further revision of the plans.
With orders for 45 A380 Emirates is by far the single largest customer, now expecting the first delivery by August 2008.