Why Emirates Airlines' Ambition Scares Its Competition

nytimes.com:

Emirates is pressing ahead with an ambitious expansion, despite the city's financial near-collapse in 2009. Its executives, with the help of Dubai's rulers, want to place this Persian Gulf city at the center of a transportation network linking vibrant economies like India and China to Europe and the United States.

It might sound like bravado from the bubble years, another case of overreach in this sandy fantasyland. This is, after all, Dubai, where exuberant developers planned not one but three palm-shaped island chains and erected the glass-clad Burj Khalifa -- more than twice the height of the Empire State Building -- alongside an indoor ski resort. What is more, the recent political upheaval in Egypt provides a potent reminder that Dubai, for all its air-conditioned ease and stability, lives in a dangerous neighborhood.

But here inside Terminal 3, the rise of Emirates hardly seems a mirage. Since its founding in 1985, Emirates, which is fully owned by the government, has grown into the world's largest airline by passenger miles flown. By 6:30 a.m., Terminal 3 is teeming with travelers. Russians bound for Durban, Chinese headed for Khartoum and Indians traveling to San Francisco weave through the restaurants and duty-free shops. Families snooze on the white marble floors. It feels like a giant bazaar, devoted to a new era of air travel: crowded, animated, cosmopolitan.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[gokulram arunasalam]

04:01 PM on 02/15/2011

Commercial aviation is a consumer product and people will 'buy' the product that is of most value (quality at right price). One who flies Emirates or other airlines of similar caliber (such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific) will quickly acknowledge the superiority of the airline (cabin quality and service) relative to most European flag carriers. Hardly a surprise that they have such ambitions...

[clivechristy]

11:30 PM on 02/14/2011

The nerve of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the chief executive of Air France, to complains that Emirates is siphoning off passengers from Europe’s traditional hubs. “Europe is at the center of the global aviation world. It’s the result of aviation history.” Really??? Perhaps that arrogance is the reason why Air France is being left behind.

[SURFER DUDE]

11:21 PM on 02/14/2011

If I am flying from London to Hong Kong, a 15 hour flight, why should I fly Emerites and add a change of plane stop in Dubai, when I can and do fly Cathay Pacific non stop. Emerites is a quality carrier, but Cathay is in the same league. People want to fly non stop to their destination if they can. While Dubai's hub make sense for makes sense for sub-continent and mid east connections, it makes no sense for intercontinental flights.

[NA24]

04:20 AM on 02/14/2011

Emirates is without doubt the best airline I have flow with. Excellet service, knowledgeable staff, comfortable seats and great food.

[lisakclayton]

05:40 PM on 02/13/2011

I have made it a policy for some time now to avoid any American-based airlines. within the past two or three years I have added the European airlines to that list. The Arabian Gulf based airlines of Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways are always my first choice now. I suspect these airlines are so good because their prospective countries for which they serve as the national carrier have put a lot of money into their operation; but whatever it is, it is working in favor of the passenger.

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

04:29 PM on 02/13/2011

indeed emirates manages to treat its passengers with a dignity unknown in american lines. virgin atlantic used to have the same concern for its passengers but that is now long passed. having traveled on emirates from sfo to durban and to osaka both in business and in economy, all i can say is that it was great. unfortunately, i fear that this concern for passengers may not necessarily be reflected in the treatment of its lower echelon employees.

[Isac C]

02:38 PM on 02/13/2011

There is a reason for Emirates growing well as an international airline.

For one, the location of Dubai makes it an ideal hub between Europe/North America and Asia.

But the main reason is the way they treat customers, both in appearance and reality.

1. In appearance, the American airline companies treat the customers with much fanfare but in reality they screw them over with unscrupulous practices and in effect turn them off.

2. Asian airlines (especially Air India) has good policies, but honestly, they appear unpolished or rude in customer service.

Emirates (and to some extend recently by Etihaad) has identified this void to marry excellent customer service in appearance and policies to win away customers.

When I am flying anywhere to Asia, I never fly an American Airline company.

[clivechristy]

11:40 PM on 02/14/2011

Asian airlines cannot all be thrown into the same basket. Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Eva Airlines and even China Airlines have outstanding customer service and treat customers with respect. That is not the case with others Air India, Philippines Airlines or even Vietnam Airlines. However, every flight and every opinion is subjective, and the first leg of a journey with one airline that provide positive memories can have all those positive thoughts erased with a bad second leg on the same airline. However, a blanket suggestion that an American owned airline would be avoided when flying through Asia is one well taken, however it is a matter of connections. If you fly Cathay Pacific to the USA, you get discounted domestic flights on American Airlines. In the end flight decisions are made on connections, seat availability (dates) and of course cost. Emirates is new, everything is new and it's invigorating. Obviously to the staff but it has a knock on to the passengers. They are beating their competition because they are new, fresh and dedicated themselves to service.

[KIVPossum]

02:33 PM on 02/13/2011

Only flown Emirates twice and they were two of the best flights I've had.