25 Aralık 2011

They are coming! - European unease over Etihad stake in Air Berlin

European unease over Etihad stake in Air Berlin - The National

The acquisition by Etihad Airways (EY) of a bigger stake in Air Berlin (AB) is likely to stir tensions among European airlines concerned about the expansion of Gulf carriers into their home territory.

There is another article from the NY Times about the same topic; Etihad and Air Berlin Form an Alliance

19 Aralık 2011

737 MAX vs A320neo

Planemakers fight it out with new narrow-body aircraft.
gulfnews: Boeing-Airbus face off in a new war

They are fighting for the narrow-body market by introducing upgraded versions of their existing models. I wonder who will design a completely new aircraft for this segment?

15 Aralık 2011

What is the difference between Abu Dhabi and Dubai ? - from an aviation point of view

Etihad strikes $2.8bn Dream deal - The National

Etihad Airways is set to become the largest operator of Boeing's fuel-efficient 787-9 Dreamliner after ordering 10 of the aircraft and two 777 freighters from the planemaker in a deal valued at US$2.8 billion (Dh10.28bn) at list prices. Carrying up to 300 passengers and over a range of 8,000 nautical miles, the 787-9, the longer version of the 787, will initially be used on routes to Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Nagoya, and Delhi.

In line with this;

 
Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) expects to handle 12 million travelers this year and says 1 million passengers a month will become the norm. The increase was attributed to the arrival of airlines such as Cathay Pacific, V Australia, and Czech Airlines, along with increased frequencies and new destinations launched by existing carriers.

Mr. Bennett (CEO of ADAC) said Etihad Airways had "continued to receive aircraft and add frequencies in certain markets".

Abu Dhabi Airports Company - ADAC last month announced work on the long-delayed Midfield Terminal (MTC) building would go ahead next year. The building is planned to be capable of handling up to 30 million passengers a year when it opens in 2017.


Emirates has included Italy in its expanding A380 network with the launch of a superjumbo service to Rome. The double-decker aircraft, bringing an additional 34% capacity on the Dubai-Rome route or an extra 250 seats each day.


Economic uncertainty and flagging consumer confidence in Europe and the United States did little to curtail the continued growth in passenger numbers at Dubai International as traffic surged 7.3 percent to 4.3 million passengers in October, according to the latest traffic statistics released on Monday by Dubai Airports.

October passenger numbers rose to 4,307,817, up 7.3 percent compared to 4,013,127 recorded during the same month in 2010. Through the first ten months of the year, passenger numbers totaled 41,855,561, an increase of 7.7 percent over the corresponding period in 2010.

Quote

Well... everybody asks me `what is the difference between Abu Dhabi and Dubai` when I go back to Istanbul, to visit my hometown. The above four articles can give you an angle, a look from an aviation point of view to understand the difference.

One side is quantity, the other is quality. One side is mass, the other convenience. One side is full of surprises; the other is more steady and stable. Last but not least, Abu Dhabi is greener ;)