Emirates has announced what it says will be the world’s shortest scheduled A380 flight between Dubai and Doha, a distance of just 379km. The Gulf carrier will roster the superjumbo onto one of its nine daily frequencies on the route from December 1. (www.businesstraveller.com) 更多...
you beat me to it. it would probably be some other technology then. at over 200 miles distance, the conventional tracks of a railroad would be unmanageable. the desert heating through the day and cooling considerably at night, conventional tracks would have to be laid in a long and winding road layout. if you know what i mean and i think you do. the only service available in present conditions would be snail rail. pun intended.
This doesn't make sense to me in light of the relationship between cycles, retirement, and air-frame cost. Seems to me that the best use of a $400M airplane is long haul.
Maybe it doesn't pencil out. Accounting departments in many corporations have difficulty with the dollar value of 'bragging rights'. That may be the case here, or maybe they have the passenger traffic (500+ daily)to justify it.
"The aircraft will be equipped with 74 full-flat business class seats..." Of course, because who can possibly endure a I hr 15 min flight without a nap!
In the 1980s, Japan Air Lines used to operate a high-density, (509 passengers), Boeing 747SR from Tokyo to Osaka (404 km) and return. Not sure of the economies of operation nor the flight's popularity.
would to a certain extent say this does not make sense BUT, it could be very strategic for Emirates. If there is one thing I have realized with Emirates, it is its aggressive strategy of showing its presence. Currently Emirates has increased its flight from South Africa and its brand presence is felt BIG TIME!
How long to unload and reload around 500+/- passengers? "The flight departs Dubai at 0745, arriving into Doha at 0805, with the return leg leaving Doha at 0950 and landing back into Dubai at 1200".
In reality, I think, taking consideration the time zone change, the flight is 1 hour 20 mins. one way and 1 hour 10 minutes for the return flight. The departure and arrival times are from gate to gate, so it would not be possible to travel 235 miles take-off to landing instantaneously with a 10 minute taxi at each end.