From above:

“What we’re seeing is a gradual maturation of the Gulf airlines,” said Seabury Group analyst Geoffrey Weston. “Qatar is signaling that it’s going to push air freight as a major part of its service. Five years ago it and Etihad appeared to be chasing Emirates. Now we’re witnessing diverging strategies.”

SkyTeam’s Wisbrun said the Cargolux transaction amounts to a “survival plan” for a carrier that couldn’t have survived as a freight-only operator and that the surge in capacity from the Gulf represents a setback for the global air-cargo sector.

“In times of high demand there is no issue, but if it’s added in times of low demand there will be an issue for the whole industry,” he said. SkyTeam members also include Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) and Korean Air Lines Co., which has one of the world’s biggest air-cargo operations.

Emirates reckons such a view is “shortsighted” and that there will be more than enough demand in coming years to support extra capacity without it heightening competition, Menon said.

“If we doubled the capacity available in the market we would still not be able to satisfy the demand,” he said.



So there's the next threat to...every other International carrier. Emirates doesn't even have to make money to survive, since they are state owned and get their jet fuel at...a pretty good price I'll bet! And they have a great hub location, close to the two biggest emerging markets, India and China, and not too far from Russia only Brazille is a long way off for them but they have the airplanes to make that trip.

Should I go there now and get a seniority number or just wait until they take over the world and hope I do ok in... Binding Arbitration?

(that's a joke, lighten up Francis)