Qatar Airlines entering Atlanta to Doha with a big splash - Sending the one time big baby Airbus 380 (Columbus: airports, move)

[munna21977]

Delta used to fly between Mumbai and Amsterdam. From Amsterdam hub, connecting passengers used to take Delta or KLM flights to various cities in the US including Atlanta. Many Indians in Atlanta used to regularly fly on that route.
But last year, Delta stopped that route. All that passenger crowd will move to other options such as Qatar, Turkish as far as Atlanta market is considered.

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Report: Qatar CEO says “wicked” Delta ruined first Atlanta flight

Regardless of your opinion on state-owned airlines, this incident just made Atlanta look silly, and small. Like we are too backwoods and dumb to handle this major new airline flying into our city. Whatever Delta thought they were accomplishing with this, they failed. Just like their short-sighted and extraordinarily petty decision to cut ties with the Fox Theater because they rented their venue to Qatar Airways.

I say this as a 100% loyal Delta customer, who hasn't flown any other airline in a decade.

[jsvh]

Good details on the Qatar A380 dispute: Qatar Airways CEO slams Delta in gate tussle, airport points to scheduling snag | AJC@ATL

According to Council’s letter, the airport’s common use regulations require 60 days notice for scheduled A380 service.

The letter said Qatar approached Hartsfield-Jackson April 25 with the request to operate the A380 June 1. “Despite this, to be flexible,” the airport said it would evaluate the request and work with airlines to determine if it was possible to accommodate the request, according to Council’s letter.

“Unfortunately, soon after, and without approval from us, or regard to whether we could accommodate the A380 on the scheduled time, we learned that your airline had issued a press release on April 27 announcing an A380 would be making its inaugural flight into Atlanta,” Council wrote in his letter.

As alternatives, the airport offered options of different arrival times — arriving before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m., instead of the scheduled 3:55 p.m. arrival.

The Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Atlanta proceeded on close to its original schedule, arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson at around 4 p.m. It was originally expected to depart at 7:25 p.m., but the schedule for departure was shifted to after 9 p.m. due to the longer boarding and disembarking process and another issue that required the aircraft to move to the South cargo area for refueling.

Sure Delta could have rescheduled 4 of other flights as a nice gesture to Qatar, but should they? Would you disrupt your own customers to benefit a competitor?

Should the Atlanta Airport really have forced Delta to reschedule those four flights because Qatar wants it after it was already reserved?

Shouldn't Qatar have rescheduled its one flight instead?

I am not sure how it is not Qatar bringing this mess on themselves. They knew it was an issue well in advance but wanted to force a confrontation.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Good details on the Qatar A380 dispute: Qatar Airways CEO slams Delta in gate tussle, airport points to scheduling snag | AJC@ATL



Sure Delta could have rescheduled 4 of other flights as a nice gesture to Qatar, but should they? Would you disrupt your own customers to benefit a competitor?

Should the Atlanta Airport really have forced Delta to reschedule those four flights because Qatar wants it after it was already reserved?

Shouldn't Qatar have rescheduled its one flight instead?

I am not sure how it is not Qatar bringing this mess on themselves. They knew it was an issue well in advance but wanted to force a confrontation.

Does it really matter since they are flying the 777-200 now and have a gate to use. Qatar accomplished its goal media advertisement.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Does it really matter since they are flying the 777-200 now and have a gate to use. Qatar accomplished its goal media advertisement.

Yeah, and they were able to build up national media coverage by playing the victim and then go back to their regular gate. Good "media strategy" by Qatar.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Regardless of your opinion on state-owned airlines, this incident just made Atlanta look silly, and small. Like we are too backwoods and dumb to handle this major new airline flying into our city. Whatever Delta thought they were accomplishing with this, they failed. Just like their short-sighted and extraordinarily petty decision to cut ties with the Fox Theater because they rented their venue to Qatar Airways.

I say this as a 100% loyal Delta customer, who hasn't flown any other airline in a decade.

It's nice to hear some logic on this thread. Thanks.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by munna21977

Delta used to fly between Mumbai and Amsterdam. From Amsterdam hub, connecting passengers used to take Delta or KLM flights to various cities in the US including Atlanta. Many Indians in Atlanta used to regularly fly on that route.
But last year, Delta stopped that route. All that passenger crowd will move to other options such as Qatar, Turkish as far as Atlanta market is considered.

I took the Turkish air flight from Atlanta to Istanbul. It was packed! The Istanbul hub was really busy with a lot of foreign transfers.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Regardless of your opinion on state-owned airlines, this incident just made Atlanta look silly, and small. Like we are too backwoods and dumb to handle this major new airline flying into our city. Whatever Delta thought they were accomplishing with this, they failed. Just like their short-sighted and extraordinarily petty decision to cut ties with the Fox Theater because they rented their venue to Qatar Airways.

I say this as a 100% loyal Delta customer, who hasn't flown any other airline in a decade.

Not really the airport to Delta credit does have a procedure for gate operations and Delta was well in their right to have a cow at the gate if they so desired. Delta followed the proper procedures. Qatar used this as an media blitz and should have learned that you must comply with another nation procedures.

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Not really the airport to Delta credit does have a procedure for gate operations and Delta was well in their right to have a cow at the gate if they so desired. Delta followed the proper procedures. Qatar used this as an media blitz and should have learned that you must comply with another nation procedures.

I'm sure "you must comply with another nation's procedures" was what the 500 people stuck on the plane were thinking, not "these hillbillies only have one gate for a 380 and they can't keep it open for a well-publicized landing of one?"

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by magnetar

I'm sure "you must comply with another nation's procedures" was what the 500 people stuck on the plane were thinking, not "these hillbillies only have one gate for a 380 and they can't keep it open for a well-publicized landing of one?"

Or maybe: Shouldn't this airline have ensured there was a gate available beforehand?

It's not like this was a surprise sprung on Qatar when they landed.