Aircraft advances offer chance to aim high
On Saturday morning, an Emirates Airbus A380 passed over Cork. It is the twin deck behemoth that is dominating the ‘very large aircraft’ segment of the industry. This particular unit was flying from New York direct to Dubai. Its ability to carry over 500 passengers such a distance would be considered incredulous by those who developed Shannon decades ago based on its location as a stopover point for transatlantic aircraft.
Emirates, and others, are now equipped to conduct ultra long-haul point-to- point flights that challenge policymakers everywhere to find commercial opportunity with carriers of this type.
