Emirates CEO bittersweet sull'A380
Friday March 12, 2010
Emirates committed to A380 despite growing pains
Emirates President Tim Clark told ATWOnline yesterday in Berlin that the airline's A380s have been a success with passengers and on the balance sheet but that "there are still problems with the reliability of the aircraft. And when we fix snags, we find new ones. I am trying to be kind to Airbus, but they have to solve the problems." The operational reliability of EK's seven in-service A380s is 90%-95%, which he said is not good enough, although he added that the manufacturer "gives us good support." EK plans to take seven more A380s and six 777-300ERs this year.
Meanwhile, Clark said the airline will report a 20% increase in passenger numbers for the year ending March 31. "We will have a good story to tell" when the full-year results are released later in the spring, he said. During the past year EK has been able to raise fares step-by-step by as much as 35%, but yields remain under pressure although load factors across the network have climbed to 83%-84%. It has no plan to reduce the number of premium seats on offer like some other carriers, particularly Qantas and Lufthansa. "Sure we took a hit in our premium classes. But the aviation industry is making the wrong decision. The more they reduce, the better it is for us. I don't believe that F and C class will not come back," he said.
ATWonline
by Kurt Hofmann
Friday March 12, 2010
Emirates committed to A380 despite growing pains
Emirates President Tim Clark told ATWOnline yesterday in Berlin that the airline's A380s have been a success with passengers and on the balance sheet but that "there are still problems with the reliability of the aircraft. And when we fix snags, we find new ones. I am trying to be kind to Airbus, but they have to solve the problems." The operational reliability of EK's seven in-service A380s is 90%-95%, which he said is not good enough, although he added that the manufacturer "gives us good support." EK plans to take seven more A380s and six 777-300ERs this year.
Meanwhile, Clark said the airline will report a 20% increase in passenger numbers for the year ending March 31. "We will have a good story to tell" when the full-year results are released later in the spring, he said. During the past year EK has been able to raise fares step-by-step by as much as 35%, but yields remain under pressure although load factors across the network have climbed to 83%-84%. It has no plan to reduce the number of premium seats on offer like some other carriers, particularly Qantas and Lufthansa. "Sure we took a hit in our premium classes. But the aviation industry is making the wrong decision. The more they reduce, the better it is for us. I don't believe that F and C class will not come back," he said.
ATWonline
by Kurt Hofmann
