Emirates Going Double Daily

[KinkaidAlum]

Starting on Nov 1st, Emirates will offer a second non-stop flight out of IAH to Dubai. The early schedule shows a 777-300 on Mondays and a 777LR on Tuesdays thru Sunday. This one is set to arrive in the morning and depart just before noon back to Dubai. This will compliment the existing service which arrives and departs with the European heavies.

[mfastx]

If they are going to run two 777's daily, why don't they just use one A380 per day?

[ToryGattis]

As cool as it would be to have A380 service at IAH, there are probably more connecting options with 2x daily 777 flights connecting to two different flights banks in Dubai. And they're also probably using their A380s on more slot-constrained routes like London, Tokyo, and NYC. But once they have more A380s, they might switch the service here.

[urban909]

The early schedule shows a 777-300 on Mondays and a 777LR on Tuesdays thru Sunday.

You mean a 77W (ER) ....

[HtownWxBoy]

Great news! I would love to visit Dubai someday but would rather wait a few years until a lot of things that are being constructed are finished.

[Hartmann]

As cool as it would be to have A380 service at IAH, there are probably more connecting options with 2x daily 777 flights connecting to two different flights banks in Dubai. And they're also probably using their A380s on more slot-constrained routes like London, Tokyo, and NYC. But once they have more A380s, they might switch the service here.

IAH has not been retrofitted to handle A380 operations. The only airports in the U.S. that I know of that are up to FAA standards for A380 service are: Anchorage, Denver, DFW, JFK, LAX, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. However, not all have been updated with equipment to offload passengers and cargo.

Also, for the distance between DXB-IAH, the 777 is a great plane from a fuel consumption perspective. Doing 2x 777s allows Emirates to spread out the flights a bit and offer one earlier in the day.

[mfastx]

IAH has not been retrofitted to handle A380 operations. The only airports in the U.S. that I know of that are up to FAA standards for A380 service are: Anchorage, Denver, DFW, JFK, LAX, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. However, not all have been updated with equipment to offload passengers and cargo.

All it would take to do that is to upgrade a gate at terminal D, just to add another jetway on top. Everything else (taxiways, runways, etc.) is already A380 ready, because we already have an even bigger cagro plane that comes here, I forget the name of it though.

[Hartmann]

All it would take to do that is to upgrade a gate at terminal D, just to add another jetway on top. Everything else (taxiways, runways, etc.) is already A380 ready, because we already have an even bigger cagro plane that comes here, I forget the name of it though.

You're talking about the An-124. There's a reason it parks on the pads out there. The A380 is a heavy plane and requires more than just adding a jetway on top of the current ones at IAH. The runways have to be able to handle the extra load, the taxiways have to be modified, etc. Code F aircraft require such changes to make the airport operationally viable. The An-124 rarely takes off full of fuel and cargo, usually opting to go heavy on the latter and refuel multiple times.

Now, the 747-800 is also a code F aircraft, so I would venture a guess that IAH will eventually be retrofitted.

[urban909]

We have also been able to handle the AN-225 Mriya.

[mfastx]

You're talking about the An-124. There's a reason it parks on the pads out there. The A380 is a heavy plane and requires more than just adding a jetway on top of the current ones at IAH. The runways have to be able to handle the extra load, the taxiways have to be modified, etc. Code F aircraft require such changes to make the airport operationally viable. The An-124 rarely takes off full of fuel and cargo, usually opting to go heavy on the latter and refuel multiple times.

Now, the 747-800 is also a code F aircraft, so I would venture a guess that IAH will eventually be retrofitted.

I watched a news story about how Houston is "ready" for the A380 when it comes, and how all the taxiways and such are ready. Take it for what it's worth.

[Houston19514]

You're talking about the An-124. There's a reason it parks on the pads out there. The A380 is a heavy plane and requires more than just adding a jetway on top of the current ones at IAH. The runways have to be able to handle the extra load, the taxiways have to be modified, etc. Code F aircraft require such changes to make the airport operationally viable. The An-124 rarely takes off full of fuel and cargo, usually opting to go heavy on the latter and refuel multiple times.

Now, the 747-800 is also a code F aircraft, so I would venture a guess that IAH will eventually be retrofitted.

Any chance you have source for your claims? Here is what the Houston Airport System says about it: IAH Ready for A380

[Hartmann]

The only source I have is people involved with HAS planning and pilots. While I think the runways can handle the traffic (forgot about the An-225 making stops here) I do not think the highspeed taxiways are complete all around the airport, only a couple of runways.

I wonder about that article. It was written in 2007 so I don't if it is up to date with the full A380 specs. I cannot find an FAA reference that says IAH is code F ready, but I'll keep looking.

One change that took place sometime recently is traffic management on the ground. Depending on how heavy arrivals are, they are now utilizing 26R along with the 15s for departures.

[Hartmann]

I found this: http://www.google.com/m/url?client=safari&ei=lXF8TMGXDYG7tweI6d3AAg&hl=en&oe=UTF-8&q=http://www.aci-na.org/static/entransit/b747-8_mtg2_ACINA_minutes.pdf&ved=0CBMQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNFeawoxVG4nwrSFdfzHuYuE-g6zaQ

It states that IAH is in transition to handle the 747-800 which means it will be able to handle the A380. There are some improvements needed, but if necessary, the plane could land at IAH.

My apologies. I was going off what I was told not too long ago.

[urban909]

I found this: http://www.google.com/m/url?client=safari&ei=lXF8TMGXDYG7tweI6d3AAg&hl=en&oe=UTF-8&q=http://www.aci-na.org/static/entransit/b747-8_mtg2_ACINA_minutes.pdf&ved=0CBMQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNFeawoxVG4nwrSFdfzHuYuE-g6zaQ

It states that IAH is in transition to handle the 747-800 which means it will be able to handle the A380. There are some improvements needed, but if necessary, the plane could land at IAH.

I believe that both the 748I and 748F are fully able to use any airport facility that already handles those aircraft.

[asubrt]

Emirates upgauging to A380 service on December 3.

 

http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3921917/0/83280/

 

I'm assuming this is the second A380 gate since the Emirates flight arrives at the exact time that Lufthansa is supposed to depart, which would likely cause some overlap if there was only one gate available. I know are planning on upgrading a second gate to be A380 compatible, but it doesn't say for sure in this article whether or not it will be available for December 3.

[Naviguessor]

BIG news. 

[Houston19514]

Emirates upgauging to A380 service on December 3.

 

http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3921917/0/83280/

 

I'm assuming this is the second A380 gate since the Emirates flight arrives at the exact time that Lufthansa is supposed to depart, which would likely cause some overlap if there was only one gate available. I know are planning on upgrading a second gate to be A380 compatible, but it doesn't say for sure in this article whether or not it will be available for December 3.

 

Great news!  

 

I don't think there's much doubt gate D-9 will be ready by December 3.

[HtownWxBoy]

Great news

[mfastx]

Flew into IAH tonight and saw the Emirates A380 parked at Terminal D.  

 

She's a beaut'! 

[nativehoustonion]

It is beautiful but very expensive to operate.  The engines need to be replaced every 4 years.  Airbus has no orders past 2018.  I'll try to find the article from Bloomberg "The end of the 380 production "Line 

?

 

[wxman]

It is beautiful but very expensive to operate.  The engines need to be replaced every 4 years.  Airbus has no orders past 2018.  I'll try to find the article from Bloomberg "The end of the 380 production "Line 

?

 

That's true. There are no orders past 2018 and some airlines, Japan Skymark Airways, have cancelled their orders. The Group CEO of Air France-KLM will be cancelling orders as well. It's pretty humiliating for Airbus (or 'Scarebus' as my flight attendant friend calls them) to have to discontinue a marquis airplane so early on in it's production while the Boeing 747 saw longevity and is still in production 40 years after the first took to the skies.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-10/airbus-at-crossroads-as-a380-jumbo-faces-spend-or-fade-conundrum.html

Edited December 18, 2014 by wxman

[nativehoustonion]

Thanks for the link I was looking for it.  I think the Dreamliner is a more efficient aircraft.  The flight from San Francisco to Chengdu China is doing so well.  They are will fly 7 days a week instead 3 times weekly this summer.  The load factor is 80% and United received another one last week.  It is killing the Airbus 380, with the Dreamliner United can have more frequency.  The Melbourne to los Angeles is also doing well.  Quantas Australia discontinued service from Los Angeles to Melbourne.  Quantas is still uses the Airbus 380 on that route.  I think they will loose money with the 380.  Time will tell.    

[wxman]

The Boeing 747 is still the sexiest aircraft of all time IMO...

[arche_757]

The Boeing 747 is still the sexiest aircraft of all time IMO...

 

Gotta be the De Havilland Comet.  At least in terms of commercial aviation.

 

747 is a big flying monster.  Not pretty, but very impressive.