Etihad launched service to Larnaca in Cyprus in June 2009.
Gulf airlines Overall strategy
When asked if there had been a sharp drop-off in traffi c since the country’s economic meltdown, he said: “As an industry, aviation is of course very sensitive to the economic climate.”
Central Europe
Qatar Airways’ chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, explained that the airline’s European strategy, which was launched early last year, focuses on identifying underserved markets across the continent and maximising connectivity between key cities beyond Doha. To this end it launched fl ights to Budapest via Bucharest on January 17 to tap into both leisure and business traffi c. “Hungarians no longer have to backtrack to congested European hub airports to reach the Middle East and Asia-Pacifi c,” explains Al Baker. “The new routes to Bucharest and Budapest will both function as gateways for new markets and will consolidate Doha’s position as a key hub linking East with West.”
For destinations such as Geneva and Belgium, it’s perhaps more obvious why the Gulf carriers would want to consolidate their position.
Emirates launches a daily Dubai– Geneva service from June 1, its 26th European city.
www.routesonline.com
The airline has been fl ying to Zurich for almost 20 years, so this will be its second city in Switzerland. The market it will be tapping into will not only be banking but also the United Nations Offi ce in Geneva, the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group, said the route would support both business and leisure traffi c: “Our research has shown that there is a high demand for this route from across our network, from both the business sector, particularly fi nancial, and the leisure travellers who are looking for both summer relaxation and winter sports.” So sure is Emirates of this demand that it is launching the route with a Boeing B777-200 and B777-300 in a three-class confi guration.
Qatar is also increasing its Geneva capacity to daily, following the introduction of two new weekly fl ights. Interestingly, Qatar is the largest supplier of natural gas to Belgium, so there is a clear business traffi c demand there.
Al Baker adds: “There are very strong relationships between Qatar and Belgium and as the capital of Europe it was a clear city we wanted to open a route there.”
In terms of an overall strategy, a number of key themes do emerge from all three airlines: offering a frequent (at least daily) service; tapping into underserved markets with potential for growth; serving both business and leisure traffi c; and establishing Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha as hubs for onward connections to the Far East and Australia. Etihad’s Knight explains: “We know passengers on our main trunk routes into Europe want choice, so we are focusing on offering at least a daily service on key business routes – and wherever possible, a double-daily service – to attract a greater share of the corporate travel market.
“Business travel is beginning to recover after a couple of years in a tough economic climate, so we would hope to see an upturn in business traffi c on board in the coming months and to be able to meet this demand with additional services.
“Increasing capacity and frequency also enables us to provide passengers with improved connections across the network, making transiting via our hub in Abu Dhabi much more convenient for business and leisure travellers alike.” Qatar’s European plans are more succinct: “In Europe, Qatar Airways will continue to concentrate on expansion,” states Al Baker.
“Our goal for Europe has always been to expand to new countries while continuing to offer travellers a high quality travel experience, as well as provide the convenience of a large and diverse network.”
Emirates has always ‘specialised’ in regional UK cities – is it adopting a similar strategy in Europe, for example Nice, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Venice?
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