Discounting is lunacy, says Emirates
KUALA LUMPUR – – An all-out price war among airlines desperate to win back passengers is “lunacy” but it’s happening now, the head of Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has told Arabian Business.
While Gulf carriers are being accused in some quarters of being behind the price war, Emirates’ president Tim Clark said that wasn’t so.
“(A) major Asian carrier has introduced fares from the West Coast of America to India that I’m surprised would cover the cost of catering,” Clark said, declining to name the airline.
“You have to look further afield to see the lunacy in the markets at the moment. Some people are just going too far.”
Emirates has been one of the few carriers to keep growing, with 14 percent increase in passenger numbers in the first quarter, Clark said.
“The problem is they’re not paying us very much,” Clark said.
Clark said a recovery for airlines was still some way off.
“My own belief is that to recapture some kind of growth curve – three, four, five percent – you won’t see that until the middle of 2011.â€
Emirates is also reviewing the pace of deliveries of its aircraft orders from next year.
“We are looking at slowing some – maybe next year and 2011 – but much will depend on what happens in the next few months,” Clark said.
“This is probably the worst economic situation I’ve experienced in my aviation career,” he said. “Every day is a fire-fight.”
Ian Jarrett
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