Boeing Max grounding draws superjumbo into 40-minute gulf hops

The grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max has led Emirates to divert normally globe-trotting Airbus A380 superjumbos onto 40-minute trips to replace lost capacity. Emirates is using the double-deckers for flights from Dubai to Oman, which at 211 miles are the shortest anywhere with the model, after FlyDubai reduced services following the idling of its 14-strong Max fleet. The switch at the airline illustrates how fallout from the Max grounding is rippling across the industry. Carriers around the globe are having to redeploy or lease in planes while delaying the retirement of older ones as Boeing works on a fix for the stricken jet. Emirates said the A380 flights to Muscat, which began July 1, last only 55 minutes longer than it takes to clean the jet’s interior between trips. <br/>