Cuts Back On Plans To Fly LAX/SFO Routes With 777-200LR

This hasn't been a great week for Dubai-based Emirates, when it comes to service cutbacks. On the heels of its announcement that Emirates' first Airbus A380 was grounded this week due to unspecified problems with the superjumbo's electrical wiring, Emirates said Thursday it was advised of a delay to the delivery of three Boeing 777-200LR widebodies due to a strike at the manufacturer.

As ANN reported, some 27,000 Boeing workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers struck Boeing on August 6, after soundly rejecting Boeing's latest contract offer.

The strike shut down production at Boeing's aircraft plants, resulting in losses of approximately $100 million for each day the strike wears on, and the manufacturer can't collect payments on delivered aircraft.

Emirates is the first airline to publicly announce service delays related to the Boeing strike. The airline said the new airliners were to be deployed on new routes from Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The carrier says its plan to begin service from Los Angeles on October 26 remain unchanged, as does its plans to start service from San Francisco on December 15. Due to the shortage of aircraft, however, the Los Angeles service will initially operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only, while the San Francisco service will fly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. 

Emirates will announce the start date of its daily operations from both gateways as soon as a revised delivery schedule is provided from the manufacturer.

"Emirates very much regrets any inconvenience these delays have caused for their valued customers," the airline told ANN. "Any passengers holding tickets on affected dates will be re-booked by Emirates reservations."

FMI: www.emirates.com/usa, www.boeing.com, www.goiam.org