Emirates is already the largest international airline, and until now its competitors could rest assured that it would compete only on city-pairs that could sensibly be offered through a stop at the Dubai hub. But not any more. President Tim Clark has revealed the first details of what looks like the next step in Emirates' march to become a truly global powerhouse. On the sidelines of last week's International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Cape Town, the airline outlined plans to set up a major transpacific operation. Its aircraft would be flying through intermediate points in Asia to destinations in North America. What is making the threat even more serious for Asian and U.S. airlines is that Emirates has another 67 Airbus A380s on firm order, which-like its large incoming fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs-has the range capability to fly from many points in Asia to cities far beyond the U.S. West Coast.
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