Emirates boss Tim Clark can imagine working with Lufthansa. “There are gaps in the Lufthansa route network,” says Clark on the sidelines of the SZ economic summit in Berlin. From Emirates’ point of view, the only requirement is that an agreement is uncomplicated and both sides would benefit from it. Lufthansa was open to the idea.
Emirates and Lufthansa have actually been great rivals for many years. The airline from Dubai currently flies to four destinations in Germany and allows passengers to transfer at its hub in Dubai, primarily on routes to Asia and Africa. Lufthansa has always been a thorn in the side of the competitor, which is growing rapidly at times, because the Emirates hub in Dubai, Frankfurt and Munich is a big competitor. There had already been contacts in the 2000s, but the two sides did not come to any conclusions. Emirates recently caused a stir by signing a bilateral agreement with United Airlines – like Lufthansa a co-founder of the Star Alliance. As could be heard: much to the annoyance of the Lufthansa employees.
Clark envisages a so-called code-sharing agreement in which an airline operates a flight under the flight numbers of two or more companies. Such joint flights have long been common, but not between two such major competitors. The Emirates airline boss can imagine transporting Lufthansa passengers on routes to Australia from Dubai, among other things. Lufthansa does not fly to Australia itself, but Emirates flies to Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. Clark also brought up a joint flight from Dubai to Berlin.
According to Lufthansa, the airline has more partnerships than any other, after Australia with Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Thai and Cathay Pacific, among others. “Nevertheless, we are happy about any further interest. However, every code-sharing partnership that we enter into must offer advantages to both sides,” says a spokesman for the group.
So far, Lufthansa had refused any cooperation
Emirates can offer an unlimited number of flights to Germany under the air transport agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Germany, but only to four destinations. The airline currently serves Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich. For years, the company has been trying to get additional traffic rights for Berlin and Stuttgart. To Clark’s annoyance, Gulf rival Qatar Airways flies daily from Doha to Berlin. In his own words, Clark has little hope that his company will soon be able to fly to Berlin itself. A cooperation with Lufthansa would at best increase the chances.
Lufthansa had previously refused any cooperation with Emirates. However, the airline has at times cooperated with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). Both agreements have now expired. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has been arguing for years that the Gulf airlines benefit from state subsidies and therefore have unfair competitive advantages. Whether true or not: During the corona pandemic, most airlines, including Lufthansa, had to be saved from bankruptcy by the state.
Emirates has already managed to break through resistance from others. The airline has agreed on joint flights with Lufthansa partners United and Air Canada, which are also relevant for Lufthansa business. Among other things, it is about connections to the Middle East and India, which are covered by a joint venture agreement between United and Lufthansa. Qatar Airways is now a member of the rival Oneworld alliance and works with former nemesis American Airlines. Qatar Airways also holds shares in British Airways parent company International Airlines Group (IAG).