It was only a matter of time before more carriers cottoned on to the massive demand for Australia<->UAE flights. My family have known the demand first-hand, after having a few close encounters with getting bumped from flights due to being on staff tickets.
Emirates is obviously our first-choice, and the choice of many more. But non-employees now have even more competition. I assume the global financial crisis was a key factor for Emirates fares becoming among the cheapest (according to my friends at least). It was apparently a huge dive from their usual prestige prices. With the crisis now well behind the industry, and our plane’s loads now completely filled, the prices were only to go in one direction – up.
It was interesting though to see – our Abu Dhabi rival – Etihad’s announcement thhat they would reduce their prices significantly. Some fares will dropp by 40%!!
And in some other news is there is go ahead for an alliance with Sir Richard Branson’s down under carrier, Virgin Blue – Interim approval given to Virgin Blue/Etihad alliance – Plane Talking http://bit.ly/9BWPep.
Interestingly times ahead for the region. I wonder how this will affect my hopes that Emirates would put one of its incoming A380s onto the Brisbane-Auckland leg just so I can experience the wonder.