Emirates Airline has accused the German carrier Lufthansa of making "false and deliberately misleading" claims to block the Dubai airline's request for additional access in Germany.
The carrier said a document distributed by Lufthansa to media and German policymakers in April contained 19 "errors and distortions", including wrong portrayals of Emirates's business model, the status of its landing rights in Germany and the frequency of flights there. The Dubai airline made its response in a 10-page report entitled "Tearing Down the Other Wall" - a reference to protectionism.
The row is the latest in a war of words between the two giants of international aviation and underscores the determination of Lufthansa, and other flag carriers such as Air Canada, to protect their home markets from Emirates's international expansion.
Emirates flies to four German cities - Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Dusseldorf - and has been lobbying for years to fly directly to Stuttgart and Berlin.
The German capital has a population of 3.4 million but has air service to only 16 foreign cities. Madrid has the same population but has 53 international connections.
"Lufthansa is determined to deny us access to these markets," Emirates said. "The citizens and visitors of both regions deserve the right to direct long-haul flights over the alternative of only being allowed to fly via Lufthansa's German hubs [in Frankfurt and Munich]."
Peter Schneckenleitner, a spokesman for Lufthansa, said: "This aggressive lobbying against Lufthansa clearly shows that the business of Emirates Airlines is designed to divert traffic from Germany to Dubai."
Lufthansa has also framed the debate in employment terms, arguing that an expansion by Emirates in Germany would allow the carrier to build its aviation base in Dubai at the expense of Germany's workers.
"If an artificial hub is allowed to replace our national centres of transport, it would be tantamount to exporting German jobs to the Gulf," Lufthansa said in April.
Emirates has argued there are economic benefits to a country when it opens up its aviation market to foreign carriers, bringing in more direct connections and price competition.
In Germany, Emirates has also touted its major role in supporting Airbus manufacturing jobs. The airline is the largest customer for the Airbus A380, contributing to 40,000 direct and indirect jobs mainly in Hamburg.
At the Berlin Air Show last month, Emirates placed a US$11.5 billion (Dh42.23bn) order for 32 more A380s at a signing ceremony attended by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.
The response by Emirates underlines the airline's increasing activism in arguing its case before government policymakers abroad.
"Emirates accepts that to enjoy continuing market access, on top of much global success to date, we need to support the ongoing global push for further liberalisation," said Andrew Parker, a senior vice president at Emirates.
"This means we need to keep making the economic case for fair and free trade, to promote open markets and break down protectionism."
The UAE has an "open skies" policy, allowing any foreign airline access. This year, Air Berlin will launch the first direct route between Berlin and Dubai, Emirates noted.
But Emirates is restricted to the four destinations in Germany, and Lufthansa has suggested it withdraw from two of those to begin serving new routes.
"The Lufthansa argument against competition from Emirates is that in order to serve Berlin or Stuttgart, we must 'simply' give up our other German points - like Hamburg or Dusseldorf - and end years of investment, employment and marketing of these regions," Emirates said in its written response. "We think this is muddle-headed."
igale@thenational.ae
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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WISH
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