Emirates picks Italy as "EU hub"

FrugalFlyerv2.0

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Oct 29, 2003
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Emirates picks Italy as EU hub

Dubai's Emirates Airline has chosen Italy as its European hub and has asked for more than 50 weekly landing slots in Milan, Rome and Venice, the Italian government said yesterday. "Emirates ... has chosen Italy as a hub to access Europe," said Italian Undersecretary for Economic Development Adolfo Urso in a statement after meeting United Arab Emirates' Economy Minister. "Thanks to this agreement, Italy will more easily become a tourist destination for the newly rich from the Gulf and from southeast Asia." Government-owned Emirates, which has less than 10 landing slots a week in Italy, has asked for 21 slots in Rome, 21 in Milan and 14 in Venice, the statement said.
 
Emirates picks Italy as EU hub

Dubai's Emirates Airline has chosen Italy as its European hub and has asked for more than 50 weekly landing slots in Milan, Rome and Venice, the Italian government said yesterday. "Emirates ... has chosen Italy as a hub to access Europe," said Italian Undersecretary for Economic Development Adolfo Urso in a statement after meeting United Arab Emirates' Economy Minister. "Thanks to this agreement, Italy will more easily become a tourist destination for the newly rich from the Gulf and from southeast Asia." Government-owned Emirates, which has less than 10 landing slots a week in Italy, has asked for 21 slots in Rome, 21 in Milan and 14 in Venice, the statement said.
So what does this mean for the future of Alitalia? Are they doomed to be extinct and will Emirates take over many of their routes? Is it possible under Italian/EU Law?
 
EK is a very smart intl airline (why are all the smart foreign airlines from someplace else??).

Anyway, Emirates is gaining a toehold on the Continent to fill the vacuum created by that goofy Italian airline.

Alitalia's unions have assured the demise of an Italian-flag carrier. Now if the Italian federal government would only let that airline die we could get on with business.

Want an airline job? Apply at Emirates.