Emirates hits back at Lufthansa

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