Emirates’ A380 prompts Lufthansa to delay B747-8 service into Mumbai

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Interesting situation at Mumbai airport reported by Business Standard

    Lufthansa had planned to start service with its advanced B747-8 next week. But the only parking bay which can cope with this aircraft has already been bagged by Emirates for its forthcoming A380 service.

    It now means that Lufthansa will have to carry on using older B747-400s on the Mumbai route. And its newer B747-8 will, for the time being, have to be deployed elsewhere.

    http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/no-parking-bay-lufthansa-boeing-747-8-to-skip-mumbai-114070700819_1.html


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Hi Alex,

    Imagine if EK put the A380 on all their flights to Mumbai (I think they have 5 or 6 a day) that could virtually lock out anyone else operating the A380 to Mumbai for the 15+ months they say it will take to have more A380 capable stands available.


    ZKSmith
    Participant

    Seems Lufthansa will use the 747-8 to JFK instead:

    http://airlineroute.net/2014/07/08/lh-jfk-jul14/


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Hello ZKSmith – thanks for the JFK 747-8 update.

    Hello dutchyankee

    Yes. Judging by what’s happened here, it would appear that EK’s A380 is more important to Mumbai airport than is LH’s B747-8.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    There must be more to this than meets the eye.

    Surely you don’t get a week out, with 747-8 at the ready and then find there is no stand available. In most industries agreements are buttoned down by then.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I was thinking the same Simon. Maybe EK offered them more money for the parking bay?


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Wouldnt be surprising LP, as a subtle `pay back` for Lufthansa`s constant blaming of Emirates (and the other ME carriers) for their financial woes.


    CXDiamond
    Participant

    I believe it did all come down to money in the end but I also can’t help but feel that Lufthansa who have become the chief whingers of Europe deserve what they have got. It’s time German airports were opened up to more competition and that the whims of Lufthansa were set to one side.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    LP – could be, but surely you have written agreements in place to guard against that.

    Sounds to me more like someone has dropped the ball here.


    Moadweeb
    Participant

    Dear All,

    Excuse the ignorance but do you mean to say that the new Mumbai terminal is equipped to handle only 1 A380 at a time ? Seems difficult to believe that there is no space for a 747-800 if A380 has occupied a slot at the same time..

    Also, not sure if the EK and LH timings would have clashed in Mumbai ? Couldn’t LH ‘adjust’ their slot a bit to make sure that the 747-800 could be accommodated ?

    I for sure, will not fly LH if they continue using the old decrepit 747..

    ..Cheers,
    Moadweeb.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Hello Moadweb

    In answer to the points you raised:

    * Currently Mumbai has only one gate capable of accommodating a B747-8/A380. Once the next section of the terminal opens, which I believe will be in 15 months’ time, there will be four such gates. It must be stressed that a B747-8 requires a larger gate space than does one of the older B747-400s.

    * Yes, logically one would assume that LH would change its timings. But this is difficult if not impossible because of a) the curfew at FRA and, more importantly, b) because according to the Indian authorities, over 80% (eighty per cent) of the passengers carried by Lufthansa are transferring at FRA for other destinations (see link below). So if LH were to change its schedule then many connections would either become less attractive or would be lost altogether.

    http://wap.business-standard.com/article/companies/sixth-freedom-choked-air-india-111091200033_1.html


    Moadweeb
    Participant

    Hello AMcWhirter,

    Thanks for the response, however as a Mumbai resident, I fail to understand why not build an airport where all gates are A380 or 747-800 compatible ? Is this a major cost item ?

    Don’t all new airport terminals have A380 or equivalent gate compatibility ?

    If you want to bring more traffic into your airport/city, build an airport that is compatible with all modern aircraft, specifically the super jumbos..

    Again, I may be totally off the mark here but this is just me with some logical assumptions.

    Cheers,
    Moadweeb.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Not sure I agree about the -400’s being old and decrepit Moadweeb. Well, old yes, but all the ones I’ve been on have been very neat, clean and modern inside, at least in Business and First, and certainly a lot better than BA’s.


    MrMichael
    Participant

    I would hardly call a 747-800 old and decrepit , in fact probably off the production line later than the A380.

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