It is more to do with UA losing the lucrative US government contracts than ME3 encroachment.

B6 has won the new contract, which will offer all international legs on EK (as their codeshare partner).

Quite the coup by B6/EK!!

While the US3 were whining about subsidies, EK along with B6 pulled the rug underneath them!

One reason previous administration was not ready move on the matter was to please Quebec...There is a good possibility the current Liberal Govt. will open up the restricted access...AC knows that...I assume thats why AC resumes operating to DEL or I may be completely wrong in this analysis

Just saw United ending its Dubai service. ME3 are slowly eating in to North American market. Canada is holding on by restricting access but not sure for how long. http://www.emirates247.com/business/...12-10-1.613509

Emirates unveils fleet plans through 2018

Rob Finlayson

Dubai-based Emirates Airline has announced fleet plans through 2018.

In 2016, Emirates will retire 26 aircraft, comprising 12 Airbus A330-300s, four A340-300s, one A340-500, six Boeing 777-200ERs, two 777-300s and one 777-300ER.

In 2017, 13 more aircraft will be retired and another 13 will be retired in 2018.

Balancing its aircraft retirement program, Emirates will take delivery of 36 new aircraft in 2016, comprising 20 A380s and 16 777-300ERs.

At the end of 2016, the aircraft retirements and new deliveries will put Emirates average fleet age at 5.6 years. A recent analysis shows the average fleet age for the top five airlines in North America is 13.6 years, while the average fleet age for the top five airlines in Europe is 10.7 years.

Emirates president Tim Clark said, “Emirates has a global footprint as the world’s largest international airline, and we have a responsibility to our customers, the communities we serve, and the planet ...With the retirement of older aircraft and the introduction of new, more fuel efficient aircraft in 2016, Emirates will continue to lead the industry in reducing the age of our fleet, while at the same time defining new levels of service that our customers have come to expect.”

Currently, Emirates has 244 aircraft in its fleet. In 2015, the airline received 26 new aircraft, including 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and one 777 freighter.

The airline has 262 additional aircraft on order, worth more than $120 billion at list prices. Its order book includes 71 A380s, 42 777-300ERs, 115 777-9Xs and 35 777-8Xs.

The new Boeing 777Xs, which will begin delivery in 2020, will be nearly 20% more fuel efficient than previous models, including a range of passenger-focused amenities, Emirates said.

Found the owners.....

Boeing 747 - MSN 22363 - TF-ARM
Last Airline Air Atlanta Icelandic

Status : Stored
Last Registration : TF-ARM

Last Airline Air Atlanta Icelandic

Country : Iceland
Date : 1986 -
Codes CC ABD
Callsign : Atlanta
Web site : http://www.atlanta.is

Boeing 747 - MSN 22669 - TF-ARH
Last Airline Air Atlanta Icelandic

Status : Stored
Last Registration : TF-ARH

Last Airline Air Atlanta Icelandic

Country : Iceland
Date : 1986 -
Codes CC ABD
Callsign : Atlanta
Web site : http://www.atlanta.is

Boeing 747 - MSN 22382 - TF-ARN
Last Airline Malaysia Airlines

Status : Stored
Last Registration : TF-ARN

Last Airline Malaysia Airlines - Leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic

Country : Malaysia
Date : 1971 -
Codes MH MAS
Callsign : Malaysian
Web site : http://www.malaysiaairlines.com

Some Interesting OFF Topic...........cool:

The operators of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) have placed a bizarre advertisement in a Malaysian newspaper seeking the owners of three 747-200 aircraft apparently abandoned there.

"If you fail to collect the aircraft within 14 days of the date of this notice, we reserve the right to sell or otherwise dispose of the aircraft" under Malaysian regulations, said the ad which ran in Monday's edition of The Star.

The notice was addressed to the "untraceable owner" of the planes.

Zainol Mohd Isa, general manager of Malaysia Airports (Sepang), which operates the facility, said the airport had been trying to contact the planes' last known owners.

He said they were "international" and not Malaysian, but declined to give further details.

"I don?t know why they are not responding. There could be many reasons. Sometimes it could be because they have no money to continue operations," Zainol said.

If no payment is received by December 21, the planes will be auctioned or sold for scrap to recoup the outstanding charges.

The notice gave the planes' registration numbers as TF-ARM, TF-ARN, and TF-ARH. Zainol said two are passenger aircraft and one is a cargo plane.

May be ...
Etihad Bought Jet Airways
Now Fly Dubai to buy Spice jet.

I heard Spicejet is looking to make a hub in DWC and it's waiting for government approval.
Is it true Flydubai intrested in buying Spicejet? How this is going help Flydubai which serves majority of the indian destinations out of Dubai. If Spicejet make a hub in DWC, wont it give direct competition for Flydubai? May be Flydubai is not going to shift from DXB to DWC.

Aircraft Details

Registration Mark : PK-AXC
Manufacturer : Airbus Company
Country of Manufacturer : France
Type/ Model : Airbus A320-216
Serial Number : 3648
Year of manufacture : 2008
Certificate of Airworthiness
Issued : 21 October 2014
Validity : Valid until 20 October 2015
Category : Transport
Limitations : None
Certificate of Registration
Number : 2531
Issued : 22 October 2014
Validity : Valid until 21 October 2015
Time Since New : 23,039 Flight Hours
Cycles Since New : 13,610 Cycles
Last Major Check : C-Check, 31 January 2014, 6 Years Check, 2-17
September 2014
Last Minor Check : E-Check, 16 November 2014

Engine Details

Manufacturer : SNECMA
Type/Model : CFM 56-5B6/3
Serial Number-1 engine : 697957
 Time Since New : 23,039 Hours
 Cycles Since New : 13,610 Cycles
Serial Number-2 engine : 697958
 Time Since New : 23,039 Hours
 Cycles Since New : 13,610 Cycles

The full report from Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee is available at https://t.co/zf3K5d2Luj/s/Gbnp

Very sad. :-(
I pray for those pax to rest in peace
Is this aircraft belongs to Malaysia.What's the aircraft rego? So many aircraft accidents in the short period of time.

AirAsia jet crash which killed all 162 on board was caused by cracked flight computer and 'subsequent crew actions', say investigators

1. Airbus A320 plunged into Java Sea an hour in flight in December last year
2. Plane suffered repeated faults with its computerised rudder control system
3. Cracked soldering meant it malfunctioned four times on flight and 23 times the previous year, report by Indonesian investigators has found
4. Crew disabled auto-pilot in bid to fix the situation, but lost control of plane
5. Jet went into 'prolonged stall beyond capability of the crew to recover'


Read more:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3t3Vbyphs

SpiceJet to Add 150+ Aircraft to their fleet

NEW DELHI: Emboldened by a quick turnaround in fortunes under its new promoters, budget airline SpiceJet has initiated talks with aircraft manufacturers to place orders for at least 150 planes, said Ajay Singh, chairman of India's fourth largest carrier.

Read more at:




SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 captured at MAA (September 2014)

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) flew for the first time a few days ago.
Deliveries will start in 2017 with ANA probably being the first customer. Japan airlines and Eastern Airlines have also ordered them.

Hi Banu QF and AA did a massive partnership deal to US via AKL SFO and Jfk I think. Not sure about nz expanding in US. AA will start flights to AKL from next year mid.

Yep nz will fly to Vietnam. Next destination will be MNL.

Any idea if NZ has launched direct flights to Chicago, Las Vegas and Houston which were in short-list of NZ in late 2014. I am hearing NZ going to launch Vietnam and Phillipines. Is it true? Do you have more info? Tnx.