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Emirates trims U.S. network, citing Trump
April 21st 2017
Emirates Airline is feeling the pinch from punitive air travel regulations put in place by the Trump administration over the past three months and it is not afraid of calling the U.S. president out on it. Read More »
Emirates on Wednesday said it would reduce frequencies to five of its 12 U.S. destinations, starting next month. The Dubai-based carrier called the move “a commercial decision in response to weakened travel demand” since Trump took office.
Specifically, Dubai to Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle will be reduced from twice daily to daily, while Dubai to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando will be reduced from daily to five-weekly.
“The recent actions taken by the U.S. government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting, and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air travel into the US,” the Tim Clark-led carrier said. Emirates added that its flights to the U.S. saw “healthy growth” through to the end of 2016, but since then “a significant deterioration in the booking profiles on all U.S. routes, across all travel segments” has taken place.
Emirates’ rivals from the Gulf, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, have not yet announced any frequency or capacity cuts to the U.S.
