Dubai
Emirates is confident an Italian court will allow it to continue operating services between Milan and New York, a senior executive at the airline said in Dubai on Thursday.
An administrative court in Rome is expected to rule on the service, which rival carriers argue contravenes international aviation laws, within days.
Asked if Emirates is confident of retaining the route, Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ executive vice-president and chief operations officer, said “yes”.
“There is no reason it should not be allowed,” he said on the sidelines of the International Aviation Management Conference.
Emirates operates the route under fifth freedom traffic rights, which allow services between two countries that are not the airline’s own. Emirates flies similar services to the Milan-New York route in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.
In April, the Italian court initially blocked the Emirates service after a complaint was filed by Assaereo, an association that represents Alitalia and other Italian airline. The ruling was suspended just days later pending an appeal from Emirates.
On Tuesday, Emirates airline President, Tim Clark, told reporters: “We’re expecting the judgement any day now … I’m optimistic.”
