LONDON: Increasingly tough competition on London-Dubai flights pushed Virgin Atlantic out of the market, underscoring the dominance of Emirates on the prized route.
Having operated flights from Heathrow to Dubai for more than a decade, Virgin Atlantic said it was “no longer economically viable” to operate the route.
With Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates operating numerous daily flights to London’s Heathrow as well as serving six other UK airports, Virgin Atlantic was poorly positioned to compete, experts said.
“London to Dubai is served not only by Emirates, but also by British Airways. Both offering several flights per day, thus, there is obviously sufficient offer,” said Tobias Ruckerl, CEO and consultant at Advanced Aviation Consulting. BA operates regular flights from its London Heathrow hub.
“Virgin is a smaller player in this market and obviously they cannot stand the competition any more,” he said.
“Dubai probably has not been a profitable route for Virgin Atlantic in some time,” added US-based aviation expert Jason Rabinowitz.
“Emirates now has up to 10 daily flights to the London area, with nearly 5,000 seats offered each day each way. Virgin, on the other hand, offered a single flight.
“Even if Virgin could compete on price, and it probably cannot, there is simply too much competition on the London-Dubai route to keep it up,” he said.
Virgin Atlantic cited “external factors” behind its decision to cancel the route, in a statement issued late Wednesday.
“It’s never an easy decision to withdraw a route, and we’d like to thank our customers and dedicated team in Dubai for their loyalty over the last 12 years,” said Shai Weiss, chief commercial officer for Virgin Atlantic. The airline will continue to fly to Dubai until March 31 next year.
It is the second airline this year to ditch flights between the emirate and the UK capital, with Royal Brunei Airlines announcing last month that it would no longer fly from Brunei to London via Dubai.
Direct non-stop Brunei-London flights are to launch later this year.
Last year, Australia’s airline Qantas announced plans to return its transit hub from Dubai to Singapore.
While such developments have raised concerns that transit traffic and tourist numbers traveling via the Gulf airport could be negatively affected, most analysts have said that the strength of Emirates airline will maintain Dubai’s global predominance.
“As long as Emirates remains the powerful airline it is, I don’t see Dubai being in any sort of risk of losing its status as a major transit hub,” said Rabinowitz.
“While some airlines have opted to start ultra long-haul flights, offering non-stop routes where previously they stopped in Dubai, that is still a very small niche for airlines. The few other airlines that do stop at Dubai are insignificant when compared to the massive Emirates operation,” he said.
Andrew Charlton, managing director at Switzerland-based Aviation Advocacy was similarly upbeat. “No destination likes to see airlines leave, but in the scheme of things it is part of the parry and thrust of commercial aviation and should be seen in that context, not as a major statement on the health of Dubai or of aviation in the market.”
Emirates has further strengthened its presence in the UK this year, with the launch of its new daily service between Dubai and Stansted airport — located on the outskirts of the capital — this month.
The Middle Eastern airline is also set to launch a new service to Edinburgh later this year. It already flies to Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and London Gatwick and Heathrow.
Passenger traffic at Dubai International reached 7.6 million in April, relatively flat compared to the same month the previous year.
Year-to-date, traffic reached 30.35 million passengers, up 0.8 percent on the same time period last year, according to Dubai Airports data.
Dubai remained the third busiest airport in 2017, with passenger traffic rising by 5.5 percent last year, according to the Airports Council International. It is the world’s busiest airport in terms of international passengers.
Virgin Atlantic says goodbye to Dubai as competition gets too fierce
Virgin Atlantic says goodbye to Dubai as competition gets too fierce
- Having operated flights from Heathrow to Dubai for more than a decade, Virgin Atlantic said it was “no longer economically viable” to operate the route.
- With Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates operating numerous daily flights to London’s Heathrow as well as serving six other UK airports, Virgin Atlantic was poorly positioned to compete, experts said.
Saudi Arabia’s oil sector skills to help Kingdom evolve as a green hydrogen hub, experts say
- Saudi Arabia, having set its net-zero target for 2060, has been heavily investing in the renewable energy sector
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s long-proven expertise in the oil industry could help the Kingdom emerge as a global leader in green hydrogen production as the world marches toward a sustainable future, experts told Arab News.
Saudi Arabia, having set its net-zero target for 2060, has been heavily investing in the renewable energy sector, and with the world’s largest green hydrogen plant, located in Neom, set to become fully operational in 2027.
The plant will rely entirely on solar and wind energy to power a 2.2 gigawatt electrolyzer, designed to produce hydrogen continuously.
Speaking to Arab News, Paul Sullivan, an energy and environment expert at Johns Hopkins University, said that Saudi Arabia could use its vast experience in project management and execution in the traditional energy sector to become a leader in green hydrogen production.
“Many skills could be transferred from traditional fuels, such as oil and gas, to green hydrogen. Experience and skills in project development could be transferred,” said Sullivan.
He added: “The knowledge gained from developing traditional energy projects at Saudi Aramco and its contractors puts Saudi Arabia at an advantage as it advances its hydrogen projects. AI expertise can be used across energy types and uses. AI could help optimize current and future energy systems, regardless of their nature.”
Samuele Bellani, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, shared similar views, and said that Saudi Arabia has access to advantageous solar and wind renewable energy, which could help the Kingdom emerge as a global powerhouse in green hydrogen production.
“This strong competitive advantage, together with Saudi Arabia’s commercial and marketing capabilities, and decades of experience in large-scale gas processing, refining, and project execution can position the country as a key producer and exporter of low carbon hydrogen in the future,” said Bellani.
The BCG official added that the Kingdom’s expertise in managing complex, capital-intensive projects at scale in the traditional fuel sector provides an invaluable foundation for hydrogen development, where similar skills in engineering, logistics, and international energy trading are essential.
Green hydrogen, created through electrolysis powered by renewable energy, is seen as a critical component in reducing global carbon emissions, because it produces no greenhouse gases in the production process.
In December, speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah on the sidelines of the Absher Conference, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir said that the Kingdom is making steady progress in advancing the circular carbon economy and green hydrogen production as part of broader efforts to address climate challenges through technology and investment.
The minister added that the Kingdom has made tangible progress in deploying new technologies that support more efficient energy use while expanding the production of alternative and renewable energy sources.
Upgrading existing systems
Sullivan said that infrastructure used in the traditional energy sector, such as pipelines, can be repurposed for the renewable industry, with some required changes to ensure safety and affordability.
“A wide range of legal, administrative, managerial, engineering, supply chain, policy development, governance, finance, safety and risk management, and economic skills could be transferred. Plumbers, electricians, pipefitters, welders, and other skilled craftspeople can be repurposed and used directly,” said Sullivan.
He added: “Furthermore, the oil and gas industries already produce hydrogen for their own needs. They have experience in developing ports, pipelines, and other logistical systems, as well as international trading and supply chain networks. That experience will not go to waste.”
Bellani said that Saudi Arabia can adapt existing gas, power, and industrial infrastructure to support blue hydrogen with carbon capture and storage, and green hydrogen powered by renewables.
The BCG official added that export infrastructure — including ports, storage tanks, and shipping — could be upgraded to handle hydrogen carriers such as ammonia.
Carbon capture and storage is central to Saudi Arabia’s blue hydrogen strategy.
Samuele Bellani, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group
Industrial zones and pipelines can be repurposed or expanded to integrate hydrogen production, conversion, and export at scale provided materialization of demand and ability to secure long term offtake agreements.
“This adaptive approach maximizes the value of existing investments while minimizing development timelines. The Kingdom’s world-class port facilities and industrial complexes provide a strong foundation that can be enhanced rather than rebuilt, offering significant cost and time advantages over competitors starting from scratch,” he added.
According to Bellani, carbon capture and storage is central to Saudi Arabia’s blue hydrogen strategy, enabling production from natural gas while significantly reducing lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions.
“The Kingdom’s large geological storage potential and experience with CO2 injection support the development of high-capture-rate projects at scale. This technology serves as a crucial bridge, allowing Saudi Arabia to leverage its existing natural gas resources while building toward a fully renewable hydrogen economy,” said Bellani.
He added: “The Kingdom’s geological advantages — including extensive underground formations suitable for CO2 storage — provide a natural competitive edge in blue hydrogen production that few other nations can match.”
The strategic Vision 2030 agenda
According to Sullivan, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification program, as well as the initiatives taken by the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, is playing a crucial role in materializing the nation’s hydrogen goal.
Sullivan said that Vision 2030 is the umbrella for strategic policies, including building new supply chains and new visions toward trade and commerce, as well as economic, financial, and employment diversification.
The Public Investment Fund is funding such activities, including the giant Neom and Yanbu green hydrogen projects, as well as the development of green hydrogen hubs.
“PIF green bonds help reduce costs and make financing green hydrogen projects cheaper than they would otherwise be. The Saudi Green Initiative provides direction and policy developments on climate and environmental policies that could help advance green hydrogen in tandem with Vision 2030 and the PIF’s work,” said Sullivan.
He added: “Without a proper strategic confluence of all three, many of today’s and future green hydrogen projects could face a more difficult future.”
Bellani shared a similar opinion and said that the Vision 2030 program’s strategic framework ensures that hydrogen development receives the highest levels of government support and investment priority.
The BCG official added that Saudi Arabia can reduce its dependence on oil revenues while developing new industrial capabilities and contributing to global decarbonization efforts by building a valuable hydrogen economy.
“Vision 2030 promotes economic diversification, industrial localization, and energy transition. All these three objectives align with low carbon hydrogen value proposition,” said Bellani.
Target countries
According to Sullivan, Europe will be one of the priority markets for Saudi Arabia as it ramps up green hydrogen production.
“Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen has better economics than many other countries’, given the costs of electricity production and offtake contracts under concessional regimes, as well as its natural endowments for green energy,” said Sullivan.
He added: “Even with shipping costs included, Saudi green hydrogen could be competitive in Europe in many circumstances.”
Bellani echoed similar sentiments and said that the demand for Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen will be driven by demand for both blue and green hydrogen to meet decarbonization targets and energy security needs.
East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea are also key markets due to their limited domestic energy resources and strong interest in hydrogen and ammonia imports.
The BCG official further said that additional demand may emerge from other Asian and emerging economies seeking affordable, low-carbon fuels in the future.
Potential challenges and combat measures
Speaking to Arab News, Safak Yucel, associate director of business of sustainability initiative at McDonough School of Business Georgetown University Dubai, said finding buyers could be one of the obstacles Saudi Arabia faces in its hydrogen journey.
“The biggest challenge is driving the cost down sufficiently so that there would be a meaningful scale of buyers. This would require significant investments not only in the infrastructure but also research and development,” said Yucel.
Bellani said that the challenges Saudi Arabia could face include ensuring global demand certainty, securing long-term offtake contracts, and remaining cost-competitive as international hydrogen markets evolve.
The BCG official added that scaling CCS for blue hydrogen and renewable capacity, water supply, and electrolysis for green hydrogen requires significant coordination and capital.
Regulatory alignment, certification complexity, and infrastructure build-out timelines also pose execution risks.
“These challenges highlight the complexity of transforming an entire energy system while building new international markets simultaneously. However, Saudi Arabia’s experience managing large-scale energy projects and its substantial financial resources position the Kingdom well to address these implementation hurdles systematically,” added Bellani.
Yucel said that Saudi Arabia could explore international collaboration, to evolve as a market leader in the hydrogen energy ecosystem.
“Many companies are interested in investing in green hydrogen and several research groups across the globe are working on further advancing the technology. Such collaborative efforts would be vital in driving costs down,” said Yucel.
Bellani elaborated and said that there are strong opportunities for collaboration across the value chain, including joint ventures for blue and green hydrogen projects, offtake agreements, and infrastructure development.
According to him, international energy companies, technology providers, and engineering firms can contribute expertise in CCS, electrolysis, ammonia, and logistics, while partnerships with research institutions can accelerate innovation in hydrogen technologies, cost reduction, and sustainability standards.
“Saudi Arabia’s transition from oil giant to hydrogen superpower represents one of the most significant energy sector transformations of our time. By systematically addressing each aspect of hydrogen economy development — from leveraging existing expertise to building new international partnerships— the Kingdom is positioning itself at the forefront of the global energy transition,” said Bellani.
