Emirates is considering adding cheaper long-distance flights in order to better fend off aggressive competition from low-cost carriers. Emirates president said that more and more international network carriers will be starting to move into the long-haul, low-cost market. Traditional airlines such as Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Air France-KLM are trying to expand their low-cost offerings as discount carriers including Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and Singapore’s Scoot push into the sector’s most lucrative segment. The rivalry is burdening network carriers such as Emirates at a time when terrorism, the economic slowdown in the Middle East and the U.K.’s planned exit from the European Union are already depressing travel and reducing fares. Emirates, which has exploited its Persian Gulf location to turn its Dubai hub into an inter-continental crossroads, has had a particularly rough year. Low energy prices have sapped demand for lucrative premium bookings from executives in the oil and gas industry, while terrorist attacks in Europe have scared off travelers from Asia. (Bloomberg)