Emirates e Flydubai : analisi di CAPA su possibile scenario congiunto

[kenyaprince]

[h=1]flydubai: ‘Our niche is Dubai.’ But could Emirates have incorporated the short-haul strategy?[/h]

Low-cost carriers were once cast off in the Middle East, said to never work. But now turning five years old isDubai government-owned flydubai, which has become the largest LCC in the Middle East. Explaining the business model that has sustained 40 737s with more on order, CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith says: “Our niche isDubai.”
It may be surprising to carve out a niche in the city home to the world’s largest international airline based on ASKs. But flydubai has done so by focusing on regional links and using its 737s to serve markets too thin forEmirates’ all-widebody fleet.
flydubai is increasingly hybridising, to the point the differences between it and the short-haul aircraft ofEtihad and Qatar Airways are not vastly different. Could Emirates have done the same? In this first instalment in a series of reports analysing flydubai, CAPA examines the history and strategy behind the Dubai airline industry's second, albeit quieter, brand.

[h=2]Dubai wanted a second airline to diversify its hub[/h]The question of whether Emirates could have incorporated flydubai is perhaps beside the point: Dubai wanted a second airline. With Dubai one of the world’s largest hubs, the view was taken that hubs need more than one local carrier.
Emirates and flydubai do not have to be equal or close to being equal in size, but there does need to be diversity, the logic goes. This is not universal but typically the case. London has British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; Tokyo has All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines; Sao Paulo has Goland TAM; Johannesburg Comair and South African Airways; while at New York JFK and Los Angeles many carriers call both cities a hub.

A second carrier allows Dubai to regain some marketing edge​

A second carrier allows Dubai to regain some marketing edge. When Emirates was established in 1985, it was expected the airline would serve the UAE and larger region. Not foreseen was that Abu Dhabiwould establish its own airline, and one designated as the national carrier of the UAE. Thus an airline from the UAE was no longer immediately connoted as being from Dubai. But the ‘flydubai’ brand has an indisputable home.The vast majority of Emirates’ traffic is connecting, but there is still local demand as Dubai serves as a hub – financial, trading, tourism etc. – for the region. This bolsters the prospects of a second brand, and is the niche Mr Al Ghaith speaks of. Also, in the classic LCC sense, it allows flydubai to simulate new traffic flows. A second carrier elsewhere in the smaller Gulf states would be challenging, as seen with the collapse of Bahrain Air, and Oman Air recently deciding not to pursue a LCC project.
By the time it became apparent late last decade that the Dubai hub wanted a narrowbody operation, Emirates’ scale and reputation afforded it a degree of confidence to limit its involvement.
Emirates and flydubai are both government owned (directly or indirectly) but are separate entities. Emirates is 100% owned by the Dubai Investment Corporation, which in turn is 100% owned by the Dubai government. flydubai is directly fully owned by the Dubai government. Nonetheless, Emirates drew up flydubai’s business plan and Emirates executive Ghaith Al Ghaith was appointed flydubai’s CEO, which he remains today.
[h=2]Dubai was missing connectivity to smaller points. flydubai sustained the hub[/h]Emirates’ all-widebody full service operation left Dubai exposed to smaller destinations as well as the emerging LCC sector, led by all-narrowbody operator Air Arabia. Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have sizeable narrowbody fleets, in addition to the presence of these aircraft at Gulf Air andOman Air.
Gulf carrier narrowbody aircraft overview: Oct-2014

Carrier

[TD="width: 142"]Narrowbody passenger aircraft
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]Narrowbodies as share of total passenger fleet
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"] Air Arabia
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]34
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]100%
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"]Etihad Airways
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]29
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]31%
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"]flydubai
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]41
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]100%
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"]Gulf Air
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]22
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]79%
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"]Oman Air
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]21
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]75%
[/TD]

[TD="width: 142"]Qatar Airways
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]41
[/TD]
[TD="width: 142"]33%
[/TD]

Source: CAPA Fleet Database
flydubai has helped sustain the Dubai hub, giving it links to destinations Emirates does not serve but other Gulf carriers, or other global airlines, do. The alternative scenario would have been Dubai missing commercial opportunities, or giving business to competitors.
Kathmandu for example is served with narrowbodies from Etihad and Qatar, but Emirates does not serve it. flydubai serves Alexandria, which Emirates could not make work some years ago. Other flydubai destinations like Krasnodar are only served from the Gulf by Air Arabia.
Flydubai network summary: 2014

90

[TD="width: 213"]Cities served during 2014
[/TD]

[TD="width: 213"]55 (61%)
[/TD]
[TD="width: 213"]Cities not served by Emirates
[/TD]

[TD="width: 213"]51 (67%)
[/TD]
[TD="width: 213"]Cities also served by Air Arabia from Sharjah
[/TD]

[TD="width: 213"]18 (20%)
[/TD]
[TD="width: 213"]Cities with no Gulf competitor, or no Gulf competitor other than Emirates
[/TD]

[TD="width: 213"]10 (11%)
[/TD]
[TD="width: 213"]Cities where the only Gulf competitor is Air Arabia from Sharjah (no service from Emirates)
[/TD]

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and OAG
But flydubai was not just a defensive, market share preservation exercise. flydubai, with a lower cost base and agile management, has been able to open destinations unserved by others.
flydubai’s network overlap with Gulf carriers: Oct-2014

Destination

[TD="width: 110"]Served by Emirates?
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Gulf carrier competition
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Addis Ababa
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Aden
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"] Flynas , Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Abha
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Al Najaf
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Gulf, Jazeera , Kuwait , Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Almaty
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Alexandria
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Jazeera, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Ahmedabad
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Amman
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Ashgabat
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Baghdad
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Bahrain
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Baku
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Belgrade
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Etihad, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Beirut
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Bishkek
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Bujumbura
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Basrah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Bratislava
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Bucharest
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Chisinau
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Chittagong
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Oman
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Colombo
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia,
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Dammam
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Dar Es Salaam
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Oman, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Delhi
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Dhaka
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Djibouti
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Etihad, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Doha
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Donetsk
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Dushanbe
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Entebbe
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Flynas, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Erbil
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Gassim
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Hail
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Hambantota
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Hofuf
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Hyderabad
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Istanbul
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Jazeera, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Jeddah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, flynas , Gulf, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Juba
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]flynas
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kabul
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kandahar
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Karachi
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kathmandu
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Oman, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kazan
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kharkiv

[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Khartoum
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, flynas, Gulf, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kiev
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kigali
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Kilimanjaro
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kochi
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Krasnodar
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kuwait
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Lucknow
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Madinah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Male
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Etihad, Oman, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Mashhad
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Gulf, Jazeera, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Mineralnye
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Moscow
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Multan
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Mumbai
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Muscat
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Odessa
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Osh
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Port Sudan
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Prague
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Riyadh
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Jazeera, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Rostov
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Salalah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Samara
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Sanaa
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Etihad, Gulf, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Sarajevo
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Shymkent
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Sialkot
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Skopje
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Sofia
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Sulaymaniyah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Tabuk
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Taif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Tbilisi
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Tehran
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Thiruvananthapuram
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]Yes
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Ufa
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Volgograd
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]None
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Yanbu al Bahr
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Saudia
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Yerevan
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Air Arabia, Etihad
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Yekaterinburg
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Zagreb
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Qatar
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"] Zanzibar
[/TD]
[TD="width: 110"]No
[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]Oman
[/TD]

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and OAG
Note: Includes announced destinations, and groups multiple airports by city
[h=2]Most of flydubai’s destinations are served less than daily[/h]Emirates has a different network strategy from flydubai, and there could be an argument that such different strategies are best achieved by separate management teams.
Emirates typically serves destinations twice a day, often with 777-300ERs. Over 56 Emirates passenger destinations are served at least twice daily, and only nine are served less than daily. At flydubai, 13 destinations are served at least twice daily while 50 are served less than daily.
Emirates routes served by frequency per week week: 27-Oct-2014 to 2-Nov-2014

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and OAG
flydubai routes served by frequency per week: 27-Oct-2014 to 2-Nov-2014

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and OAG
flydubai is not always the smallest. Of its top 10 destinations in 2014 based on frequency, on seven it offers more frequencies than Emirates. On two flydubai and Emirates offer the same frequency while on only one Emirates offers more frequencies than flydubai.
flydubai’s frequency advantage is important for business travellers, and also to claw back against the frequency some other carriers operating to Dubai. Some frequencies offered by Emirates are during hours that work for its hub structure but are not ideal for local travel. For example, Emirates' last Beirut flight leaves Dubai at only 15:00 while flydubai has an 18:45 departure.
flydubai top 10 destinations frequency summary: 2014

flydubai destination

[TD="width: 111"]Emirates frequency
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]flydubai frequency
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Major Gulf competitor frequency from Dubai and Sharjah)
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kuwait
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]5
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]9
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 3, Jazeera: 3
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Doha
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]5
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]9
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 3
Qatar: 12
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Muscat
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]4
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 2
Oman: 7
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Bahrain
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]4
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 2
Gulf: 7
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kabul
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]1
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: <1
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Dammam
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 3, Saudia: 3
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Jeddah
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 3, Saudia: 3, flynas: 2
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Beirut
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 2
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Kathmandu
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"][/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 3
[/TD]

[TD="width: 113"]Riyadh
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 111"]2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 91"]Air Arabia: 2, flynas: 3, Saudia: 5
[/TD]

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and OAG
[h=2]With regional focus, flydubai flies throughout the day and not just at scheduling banks[/h]Emirates’ network is focused around its hub that offers two main scheduling banks and a third smaller one.
Emirates does have a peak 07:00-11:00 departure period, and this is its largest. flydubai is busy during this period, but its departures are concentrated in a narrower window from 07:00-09:00, in line with typical regional travel patterns.
flydubai has another smaller departure spike from 18:00-19:00. This allows visitors to return at the end of the work day, or for Dubai-based passengers to depart so they can arrive in the evening at their destination and have a full day the day after.
flydubai movements at Dubai International: 22-Oct-2014

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and OAG
Emirates movements at Dubai International: 22-Oct-2014

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and OAG
[h=2]Incorporating a LCC strategy could have diluted Emirates’ brand[/h]Dubai was always going to bring class to its short-haul project, and there was never a question that a carrier like Ryanair would be created. As flydubai says in a brochure: “We recognise the expectation that has been set for us by carrying Dubai’s name”.
But the more basic service necessitated by short-haul LCC travel risked diluting Emirates’ brand. Emirates earned a reputation for offering voluminous in-flight entertainment at every seat, superior meals and business class (and often first) on their aircraft.
This brand dilution concern was also present at fellow full service, brand-focused heavyweights Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, which maintained slimmed down regional operations under different brands: Dragonair and SilkAir, respectively. SIA has moved SilkAir slightly up-market, but it is still noticeably different from SIA. Meanwhile, Dragonair has become almost indistinguishable from Cathay.
But the flydubai of 2009 is different from flydubai of 2014. flydubai in 2013 introduced business class and previously rolled out in-seat in-flight entertainment for a fee. flydubai’s business class has dedicated business seats. It has not followed the model used by some European LCCs of offering business class passengers economy seats with the middle seat blocked.
See related report: flydubai adds business class, hybridising and growing closer as Emirates' short-haul regional unit
flydubai may have the most comfortable product of any LCC
If a passenger pays for meals, IFE and luggage on flydubai, the gap with Emirates is narrowed. flydubai may have the most comfortable product of any LCC. Indeed, it could be better than many slimmed down full service airlines.What has also changed since 2009 are integration and hybridity strategies. LCCs are finding ways of accommodating full service passengers, such as providing them with meals, luggage and comfort items that would otherwise be available on an a la carte basis.
[h=2]A separate brand can work but should not exist in isolation[/h]flydubai is young but has reported two years of profits, albeit with limited financial information. Cost information is undisclosed, but we can assume flydubai is lower cost than Emirates, but probably higher cost than other LCCs.
See related report: flydubai has its second consecutive annual profit as network continues to overlap with Emirates
The question is if revenue – bolstered by business class, interlines and the attractiveness of Dubai versus Sharjah, to name a few factors – surpasses the extra cost involved.
Almost no airline releases financial information on a route-by-route basis, so it is unclear how Emirates has fared on routes where flydubai has entered. But Dubai has surely benefitted from additional passengers.
Dubai’s second airline has demonstrated an ability to enhance the Dubai hub, offering higher frequency and opening new destinations. These characteristics should not benefit flydubai exclusively.
flydubai already has some partnerships, but these are relatively limited. For flydubai to continue to meet its original benefit of enhancing the Dubai hub, it should be brought out of isolation and work closer with its bigger sister Emirates.
At present there is not even a loose dual-brand strategy. The two offer connections but are separate. Indeed, plans are underway for a more expansive scope at flydubai which could see accelerated growth.

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

Secondo me con la partenza delle rotte di Etihad da aeroporti italiani come BLQ, CTA o anche NAP, Emirates potrebbe rispondere indirettamente facendo aprire queste destinazioni da Flydubai che permetterebbe a EK di entrare su questi mercati con minore capacità visto che EK opera solo WB e inoltre potendo garantire comunque transiti via DXB.

 

[londonfog]

Molto interessante, direi che potrebbe essere un esempio di come una full-service airline e un'ibrido possono co-esistere nello stesso gruppo.

 

[AZ209]

Secondo me con la partenza delle rotte di Etihad da aeroporti italiani come BLQ, CTA o anche NAP, Emirates potrebbe rispondere indirettamente facendo aprire queste destinazioni da Flydubai che permetterebbe a EK di entrare su questi mercati con minore capacità visto che EK opera solo WB e inoltre potendo garantire comunque transiti via DXB.

Non ne sarei cosi' sicuro. Su BLQ, CTA e NAP oltre ad EY ci sarebbe gia anche TK.
Non so quanto appeal potrebbe avere una FZ che offre un prodotto decisamente peggiore. Anche sul versante prezzo mi sembra che TK offra gia prezzi decisamente bassi.

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

Non so quanto appeal potrebbe avere una FZ che offre un prodotto decisamente peggiore.

Flydubai ha un servizio che si avvicina molto piu' a una major che a una low cost, aerei con schermi individuali in tutte le classi, e recentemente stanno installando una vera business class. Inoltre la gran parte dei voli operano in orario diurno, per un volo di federaggio diurno vero DXB direi che è piu' che accettabile, un servizio migliore anche di diverse major.

 

[AZ209]

Flydubai ha un servizio che si avvicina molto piu' a una major che a una low cost, aerei con schermi individuali in tutte le classi, e recentemente stanno installando una vera business class. Inoltre la gran parte dei voli operano in orario diurno, per un volo di federaggio diurno vero DXB direi che è piu' che accettabile, un servizio migliore anche di diverse major.

Premesso che parliamo di ipotetici pax in transito, secondo te un pax da BLQ, CTA e NAP a parita' di prezzo cosa sceglie, EY, TK o FZ?

Inoltre la gran parte dei voli operano in orario diurno

noto invece dallo schema che operano praticamente h24

 

[londonfog]

Non ne sarei cosi' sicuro. Su BLQ, CTA e NAP oltre ad EY ci sarebbe gia anche TK.
Non so quanto appeal potrebbe avere una FZ che offre un prodotto decisamente peggiore. Anche sul versante prezzo mi sembra che TK offra gia prezzi decisamente bassi.

Ma non avevano detto che BLQ/CTA/NAP - AUH sarebbero state operate da AZ? Non so a CTA e NAP ma a BLQ FlyDubai non avrebbe speranza di reggere alla concorrenza di TK o AZ. Emirates lo potrebbe fare, pero' non credo riesca a riempire un 330. FlyDubai potrebbe (forse) riempire solo in ottica EK, operano con codeshare?

 

[AZ209]

Ma non avevano detto che BLQ/CTA/NAP - AUH sarebbero state operate da AZ? Non so a CTA e NAP ma a BLQ FlyDubai non avrebbe speranza di reggere alla concorrenza di TK o AZ.

Esattamente quello che intendevo (anche scambiando EY con AZ il discorso e' il medesimo)

 

[alitaliaboy]

Ma non avevano detto che BLQ/CTA/NAP - AUH sarebbero state operate da AZ? Non so a CTA e NAP ma a BLQ FlyDubai non avrebbe speranza di reggere alla concorrenza di TK o AZ. Emirates lo potrebbe fare, pero' non credo riesca a riempire un 330. FlyDubai potrebbe (forse) riempire solo in ottica EK, operano con codeshare?

Si dovrebbero riconfigurare degli A320 installando una vera business class

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

Dubai sta diventando sempre piu' una destinazione turistica di massa, oltre ad avere traffico p2p business. I voli di Flydubai gli intendevo sia per servire questo crescente mercato p2p che anche per generare in parte transiti.

Del resto per EK entrare su questi mercati dovrebbe aprire minimo un daily A330 che credo sarebbe troppo. Quindi l'alternativa è se lasciare questi mercati alla concorrenza o provare ad entrarci tramite Flydubai che potrebbe servire anche per fare da apripista e testare le rotta. Se si vedifica che ci sono i numeri per reggere un volo EK ecco che la rotta verrebbe rilevata dalla mainline.

 

[Farfallina]

Secondo me con la partenza delle rotte di Etihad da aeroporti italiani come BLQ, CTA o anche NAP, Emirates potrebbe rispondere indirettamente facendo aprire queste destinazioni da Flydubai che permetterebbe a EK di entrare su questi mercati con minore capacità visto che EK opera solo WB e inoltre potendo garantire comunque transiti via DXB.

Bisogna vedere cosa prevede il bilaterale.

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

Bisogna vedere cosa prevede il bilaterale.

Attualmente il bileterale Italia-UAE prevede voli solo da FCO, MXP e VCE. Se EY vuole aprire altre destinazioni dovrà essere modificato, EK chiederà la reciprocità essendo due compagnie dello stesso paese.

 

[AZ209]

Attualmente il bileterale Italia-UAE prevede voli solo da FCO, MXP e VCE. Se EY vuole aprire altre destinazioni dovrà essere modificato, EK chiederà la reciprocità essendo due compagnie dello stesso paese.

In ottica traffico MXP-DXB non so quanto benefico possa essere per MXP un'eventuale apertura di FZ BLQ-DXB (by EK).

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

In ottica traffico MXP-DXB non so quanto benefico possa essere per MXP un'eventuale apertura di FZ BLQ-DXB (by EK).

Non credo che ci siano molti pax che da Bologna vengano a MXP a prendere EK, piu' probabile che vadano a VCE. Oppure partano da BLQ con altre compagnie come TK.

 

[AZ209]

Non credo che ci siano molti pax che da Bologna vengano a MXP a prendere EK, piu' probabile che vadano a VCE. Oppure partano da BLQ con altre compagnie come TK.

Tu parlavi del crescente traffico p2p sia business che turistico su DXB come destinazione finale. Che c'entrano i transiti con TK?

 

[Cesare.Caldi]

Tu parlavi del crescente traffico p2p sia business che turistico su DXB come destinazione finale. Che c'entrano i transiti con TK?

A Dubai ci vai anche con TK via IST. Da BLQ non ci sono diretti, quindi devi per forza fare scalo. Anzi TK fanno spesso dei prezzi molto concorrenziali. Al contrario i prezzi di EK sul diretto per DXB sono decisamente alti. Se ci fosse una compagnia come Flydubai che offrisse un diretto a prezzi competitivi oltre a poter portare transiti secondo me sarebbe molto interessante.

 

[Farfallina]

Attualmente il bileterale Italia-UAE prevede voli solo da FCO, MXP e VCE. Se EY vuole aprire altre destinazioni dovrà essere modificato, EK chiederà la reciprocità essendo due compagnie dello stesso paese.

Cesare se ce lo posti faresti cosa gradita. Attenzione che l'accordo è fra Italia e EAU, frequenze e designazioni saranno una questione interna all'Emirato, fra l'altro in questi momento sbilanciato a favore di EK nei confronti di EY.

 

[rommix]

A Dubai ci vai anche con TK via IST. Da BLQ non ci sono diretti, quindi devi per forza fare scalo. Anzi TK fanno spesso dei prezzi molto concorrenziali. Al contrario i prezzi di EK sul diretto per DXB sono decisamente alti. Se ci fosse una compagnia come Flydubai che offrisse un diretto a prezzi competitivi oltre a poter portare transiti secondo me sarebbe molto interessante.

se sei attento al costo a dubai da BLQ ci vai con pegasus...un paio di settimane fa c erano voli sotto i 300 euro a r

 

[flapane]

Ma non avevano detto che BLQ/CTA/NAP - AUH sarebbero state operate da AZ?

Non erano BLQ/CTA/VCE?
In ogni caso, a naso, dubito che in molti transiterebbero con FZ, potendo contare già sulla più nota TK e, sul breve/medio periodo, AZ per AUH.

 

[TkMatt]

Non credo che ci siano molti pax che da Bologna vengano a MXP a prendere EK, piu' probabile che vadano a VCE. Oppure partano da BLQ con altre compagnie come TK.

di sicuro la mia esperienza fa poco testo ma amici e conoscenti vari che sono andati in asia ed oceania hanno volato da BLQ sia con Turkish (chi voleva la comodità di poter partire da casa) che con Etihad ed Emirates partendo da MXP o VCE (in questi ultimi due casi per la migliore offerta e i prezzi migliori). Da BLQ potrebbe essere che un Flydubai giornaliero ad un orario furbo, che garantisca transiti comodi a DXB verso appunto sudest asiatico ed oceania, possa reggere bene. Avrebbe sicuramente una bella fetta di transiti oltre al p2p che giustamente facevate notare. già due colleghi hanno deciso, il primo 4 anni fa, il secondo l'anno scorso, di passare il capodanno a dubai.