November 23, 2023
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13min

 



 

 

  • First time drop-in SAF is used on an A380 with full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing system
  • Cross industry collaboration brings in expertise from Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, ENOC, Neste and Virent
  • Landmark flight was powered by 100% SAF in one of four engines to test performance

 

DUBAI, UAE, 22 November 2023: Emirates has become the world’s first airline to operate an A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Today’s flight, proudly commanded by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Philippe Lombet, took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) with one of four engines powered on 100% SAF, helping demonstrate its potential as a drop-in replacement that matches jet fuel’s technical and chemical requirements, while being a more sustainable alternative. SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85%* over the fuel’s life cycle when compared to conventional jet fuel.

Demonstration flights like the one conducted today pave the way for future standardisation, qualification and adoption for 100% SAF flying, as governments adopt broader strategies to support the production and scale up of SAF. The A380 demonstration flight underlines the performance and compatibility of SAF, making it a safe and reliable fuel source, and contributes to the growing body of research carried out by the industry to evaluate the beneficial effects of 100% SAF on aircraft performance. SAF is currently capped at a 50% blend limit in engines for commercial flights.

The Emirates A380 demonstration flight comes as the aviation industry, international organisations, regulatory bodies and high-level officials driving policy-related decisions converge in Dubai for the Third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3). Dedicated collaborators from Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Neste, Virent and ENOC have been working on the testing, technical assessments and data analysis for today’s flight.

The 100% drop-in SAF used on today’s flight includes renewable aromatics and closely mimics the characteristics of conventional jet fuel. This is the first time that drop-in SAF has been used on an A380 aircraft, with the expectation of full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing systems. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, comprised of HEFA-SPK provided by Neste (hydro processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene). ENOC helped to secure the neat SAF comprised of HEFA-SPK, and blended it  with Sustainable Aviation Kerosene (SAK) at its facility in Dubai International Airport ahead of the demonstration, and also carried out into-plane services.

The 100% SAF was used in one Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, while conventional jet fuel was used in the other three engines. The PW980 auxiliary power unit (APU) from Pratt & Whitney Canada also ran on 100% SAF.

Last week, robust engine testing for one A380 Engine Alliance GP7200 engine using 100% SAF was carried out, with the objective of validating the engine’s capability to run on the specially blended 100% drop-in SAF without affecting its performance or requiring any modifications.  Ground engine testing took place at the state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai.

Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Emirates is the first passenger airline in the world to operate an A380 with 100% drop-in SAF powering one of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines. This is another proud moment for Emirates and our partners, as we put words into action with the research into and the trialling of higher concentrations of SAF to eventually lead to industry adoption of 100% SAF flying. This marks another significant step in validating the use of SAF in one of the engines of the A380, a wide-body aircraft with four engines. The growing global demand for lower-emission jet fuel alternatives is there, and the work of producers and suppliers to commercialise SAF and make it available will be critical in the coming years to help Emirates and the wider industry advance our path to lower carbon emissions.”

Julie Kitcher, Airbus Executive Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs commented: “Seeing Emirates flying an A380, the world’s largest airliner, powered by an engine running on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuels is a symbolic moment. These fuels are the most effective way to address CO2 emissions in the aviation industry today and that they are supported increasingly by the world’s leading airlines. SAF is vital to meeting the sector’s target of net-zero emissions in 2050, but needs the backing of the whole industry. At Airbus, we are working to make all our aircraft 100% SAF-capable by 2030. We’re also working with partners to grow the global SAF market in the coming years. Airbus’s purpose as a company is to pioneer sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. Through our partnership with Emirates, we’re matching ambition with action.”

“Engine Alliance and Emirates have a strong relationship that dates back 15 years to the A380 entry into service. We are proud to power Emirates’ latest SAF demonstration flight – and share a commitment to more sustainable aviation looking forward,” said Amy Johnston, president of Engine Alliance, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney.

“Innovation and collaboration are the keys to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 as this 100% SAF demonstration flight shows. GE Aerospace congratulates Emirates on this major achievement, and we are proud to be powering industry efforts toward a more sustainable future,” said Aziz Koleilat, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing for the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Turkey at GE Aerospace. “All GE Aerospace and Engine Alliance engines can operate on approved SAF blends today and through extensive research and testing, GE Aerospace is helping lead the approval and adoption of 100% SAF in the aviation industry.”

“Increasing the use of SAF is critical to achieving the goal of net-zero carbon emissions for aviation, and we are dedicated to ensuring all of Pratt & Whitney’s engines and APUs are compatible with current and future SAF specifications, up to 100%,” said Pratt & Whitney Chief Sustainability Officer Graham Webb. “This in-flight demonstration on an Emirates A380 continues to build momentum towards establishing future standards for 100% SAF, which will help maximize the potential lifecycle emissions reduction for all commercial aircraft flying in the decades ahead.”

“Sustainable Aviation Fuel plays a crucial role in reducing the emissions of air travel, but to fully leverage its decarbonisation potential we need to enable 100% SAF use. Test flights like this Emirates A380-flight using Neste’s SAF are an important step towards 100% SAF certification and we applaud Emirates for its efforts to help pave the way forward. Neste is working closely together with partners to accelerate the availability and use of SAF and we look forward to growing the supply of SAF also to Dubai,” said Jonathan Wood, Vice President Commercial Management and Business Development from the Renewable Aviation business at Neste.

“Virent congratulates Emirates Airline on another successful demonstration flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel featuring Virent’s cleaner-burning BioForm® SAK”, said Virent President and General Counsel Dave Kettner. “With Virent’s plant-based fuels technology, this test flight showed that 100% renewable fuel can meet current specifications and work flawlessly in today’s commercial airline engines. It’s critical that a consortium of companies, like this group, come together to bring sustainable aviation fuel into more widespread use.  Virent will continue to collaborate with future-focused companies, and through this collaboration we can continue to reduce emissions and power a more fuel-efficient airline industry.”

His Excellency Saif Humaid al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “At ENOC, we recognize the importance of working collaboratively with strategic partners and industry experts to realise a more sustainable future for all. We are pleased to have contributed to fueling Emirates’ first 100% sustainable aviation fuel demonstration flight on an Airbus A380, which brings us a step closer to decarbonising the UAE’s aviation sector and transforming it into a regional hub for low carbon aviation fuels. We remain committed to supporting the UAE’s efforts in the aviation sector to ensure continued sustainable growth.”

Earlier this year, Emirates successfully completed the first 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight in the region on a GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ER.

Last month, the first Emirates flights operating with SAF provided by Shell Aviation took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB).  Shell supplied 315,000 gallons of blended SAF for use at the airline’s hub in Dubai.

The airline recently expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of over 3 million gallons of blended SAF in 2024 and 2025 for flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports.

Emirates currently uplifts SAF in Norway and France and the airline continues to seek opportunities to use SAF at various airports as supply becomes available.

Emirates participates in a range of industry and UAE government working groups, along with ongoing stakeholder engagements to help scale the production and supply of SAF. Last year, together with the UAE GCAA, the airline contributed to the development of the UAE’s power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap, driven by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the World Economic Forum, and has been an active participant in the UAE’s National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap launched in January 2023 by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and GCAA.

*Calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology.

 



 

 


January 16, 2023
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3min

 



 

 

• The airline continues to rebuild its global network and ramp up operations to meet robust travel demand.

• Emirates has also announced it will resume its second daily service to London Stansted in May 2023, boosting its London operations to 11 daily flights.

• By the end of this summer, Emirates will have recovered close to 90% of its pre-pandemic A380 network.

Emirates has announced it will scale up its A380 operations with the iconic double-decker returning to Glasgow (26 March 2023), Nice (1 June 2023) and Birmingham (1 July 2023). The airline has also announced it will resume its second daily service to Stansted starting from 1 May 2023, utilising its wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its renowned ‘Game Changer’ First Class product. With the return of the second daily flight to Stansted, Emirates will ramp up its operations to London with 11 daily flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow and three times daily to Gatwick. The airline continues to expand its global network and increase capacity in line with growing travel demand.

Emirates currently deploys its flagship A380 to 40 destinations worldwide. By the end of this summer, the popular aircraft will be serving almost 50 destinations, restoring close to 90% of the airline’s pre-pandemic A380 network.

Emirates is the largest operator of Airbus A380, with more than 80 aircraft currently in active service. The airline first launched A380 operations to Birmingham in 2016; Nice in 2017; and Glasgow in 2019.

For more information on flight schedules, visit emirates.com.

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s US$ 2 billion retrofit program was deployed earlier this month on the Dubai-London Heathrow service featuring the Premium Economy cabin, and Emirates’ latest cabin interiors including lighter colour palettes in First and Business Class. The airline also plans to ramp up its four-class A380 operations featuring Premium Economy cabins to more than 35 destinations across 20 countries by March 2024.

The Emirates A380 is loved by customers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, quietness, and unique on-board features such as the Onboard Lounge and First Class Shower Spa. Customers can also enjoy award-winning inflight entertainment on ice with more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment via the industry’s largest screens across all cabins.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office or via travel agents.

 



 

 


December 6, 2022
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2min

 



 

 

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has ramped up its operations to Gatwick Airport with the addition of a third daily A380 flight. The airline continues to scale up its UK operations to meet sustained demand ahead of the holiday rush.

The additional frequency will offer enhanced capacity with more than 1,000 seats to/from Gatwick to Dubai, every day. Emirates flight EK11 will depart Dubai at 2:50hrs, flight EK15 will depart at 7:40hrs and flight EK09 will depart at 14:25hrs – offering customers even more flexibility and travel choices.

Emirates currently serves the UK with 119 weekly flights across seven UK hubs including: six times daily to London Heathrow; three times daily to London Gatwick; daily service to London Stansted; three times daily to Manchester; double daily service to Birmingham; daily flights to Newcastle; and a daily service to Glasgow.

Fly better to 130 destinations with Emirates

Emirates’ extensive network spans to 130 destinations, across six continents. Emirates’ home and hub, Dubai, remains a very popular holiday and stopover destination. Visitors from the UK can take advantage of the new Dubai Experience platform that enables customers to easily browse, create and book their own customised itineraries including flights, hotel stay, visits to key attractions, and other dining and leisure experiences in Dubai and the UAE.

 

 



 

 


December 5, 2022
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3min

 



 

 

Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Auckland Airport. This is first time the Emirates double-decker has landed in Auckland since February 2020, demonstrating increasing travel demand in and out of New Zealand.

The special non-stop daily service from Dubai to Auckland was greeted at Auckland Airport ahead of the country’s first fully open summer since the pandemic.

Emirates flight EK448 takes off from Dubai International Airport at 10:05 am and lands in Auckland at 11:05 am local time. The flight has reclaimed the title of Emirates’ longest route on its network, clocking in 14,200 km, with an estimated flight time of just under 16 hours from Dubai to New Zealand and 17 hours, 15 minutes in the other direction. This makes it one of the world’s longest non-stop scheduled commercial flights.

Emirates has been flying to New Zealand for 19 years, a sign of its ongoing commitment to the market. Throughout the pandemic, Emirates continued to serve the country, both through connecting New Zealand and the world with daily flights, as well as its SkyCargo services bringing essential goods in and out of the nation.

The latest update to its services will offer customers greater levels of flexibility and choice when making travel plans and provide seamless connectivity and reduced transit time when travelling to other destinations in its global network, including destinations in Europe and the Middle East.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers offering 14 First Class suites and 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class. Customers travelling to and from Auckland can look forward to enjoying its spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites, Shower Spa and an award-winning inflight entertainment system that includes more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment. The airline has been gradually accelerating the deployment of its flagship A380 aircraft in line with growing demand for air travel. Currently, Emirates’ A380 is deployed to 37 global destinations in 25 countries, increasing to 42 cities by March 2023.

 

 



 

 


October 17, 2022
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8min




• Minister of Cooperation of Government of Karnataka welcomes first A380 service to Bengaluru

• Emirates and Airport celebrate first commercial A380 flight operations at Bengaluru

• Daily flagship A380 service to South Indian city will commence from 30 October; Bengaluru to join Emirates’ network of over 30 destinations served by the double-decker aircraft

Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, marking the first commercial flight to the South Indian city’s airport of the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

The special service from Dubai to Bengaluru, operating as EK562 and greeted with a procession of follow-me vehicles, arrived ahead of the launch of scheduled A380 services which will commence on 30 October.

Emirates flight EK562 took off yesterday from Dubai International Airport at 10:00 am and landed in Bengaluru at 15:40 pm local time, and was welcomed by Kempegowda International Airport, in the presence of aviation fans, media and special guests representing the aviation and travel industries and diplomatic missions, amongst others.

At the welcome reception in Bengaluru, the flight carrying 224 passengers was greeted by S.T. Somashekar Gowda, Minister of Cooperation, Government of Karnataka; H.E. Dr Ahmed Abdel Rahman AlBanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India; Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); and Mohammed Sarhan, Emirates’ Vice President – India and Nepal.

Emirates executives onboard included Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer and Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – West Asia and Indian Ocean.

Celebrating the joint milestone for Emirates and the airport, a VIP delegation of guests onboard the A380 service included: GMJ Thampy, Chairman & MD at Riya Travels; Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO at EFS Facilities Services Group; Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director at Al Rais Travel; Aubrey Heldt, General Manager at Kanoo Travel; Sachin Gadoya, Co-Founder & CEO at Musafir; Sai Rattan, Manager at SNTTA; Prakash Punjabi, Manager at Travel Centre; Noura Al Marzouqi, Head, Booking & Visitors services section at ADNOC; and Azza Al Remeithi, Supervisor, Booking Services at ADNOC.

Commending Emirates for introducing the iconic aircraft to Bengaluru, Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at BIAL said, “Bengaluru has become the first city in South India to be served by Emirates’ flagship A380 services. The arrival of this wide-body aircraft today shows the operational capability and rising passenger demand at BLR Airport. The enhanced premium experience that the new A380 service brings to the Dubai-Bengaluru route will not only meet the strong travel demand but also help to stimulate traffic between the two markets.”

Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates, said: “The special relationship that we share with Bengaluru and the State of Karnataka is one of mutual growth and prosperity and we are delighted to introduce A380 services to this vital gateway for travellers in South India. Today’s flight is testament to the fruitful relationship that we share with the city and we look forward to providing the flagship experience across all cabins, for travellers travelling to and from Bengaluru, when we begin our scheduled daily A380 services later this month.

“India is a vast market with high demand for our services to destinations across our network, and we are especially pleased to extend our A380 offering to include an additional point in the country.”

Following the symbolic welcome ceremony, Emirates cabin crew showcased the interiors of its latest four-class A380 aircraft, featuring Premium Economy, to government officials and guests. When Emirates commences the scheduled A380 services from 30 October, the airline will operate its three-class flagship A380 aircraft on the route, featuring its impeccable First Class service with signature amenities such as the Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, Business Class cabins providing superior levels of comfort and privacy, and spacious seats in Economy Class.

Emirates’ new A380 service to Bengaluru

Travellers to and from Bengaluru will be able to travel on the Emirates A380 to enjoy the aircraft’s signature offerings across a broader network. Emirates launched its first A380 service in India on the Dubai-Mumbai route in 2014 and Bengaluru will become the second city in India to be served by the iconic aircraft.

Starting on 30 October, Emirates’ A380 flights between Dubai and Bengaluru will operate as EK568 and EK569. The daily flight leaves the airline’s hub at 21:25hrs, arriving in Bengaluru at 02:30hrs local time the next day. The return flight departs Kempegowda International Airport at 04:30hrs, arriving in Dubai at 07:10hrs (local time). Emirates also operates two additional daily flights utilising its other widebody aircraft, the Boeing 777.

Currently, Emirates operates the A380 to over 30 destinations across the globe and plans to deploy the popular aircraft to over 40 destinations by March 2023.

A long-time favourite amongst travel enthusiasts, the Emirates A380 is loved for its extra legroom. The champagne-coloured seats in premium cabins offer direct aisle access for every passenger, recline to a fully flat position, and offer personal minibars, ample personal storage, and a high degree of privacy. Customers also enjoy the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice, with over 5,000 channels of content, via the industry’s largest screens across all cabins.

Emirates began operations to India in 1985 with its scheduled services to Mumbai and Delhi and has been serving customers in Bengaluru with its award-winning services since 2006. Emirates provides access to nine points in India, with customers enjoying seamless connectivity to its global network, with over 130 destinations currently.

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Offices, via travel agents or through online travel agents.




October 13, 2022
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4min

 



 

 

Dubai, UAE, 12 October 2022 – Emirates, the largest international airline, is upgrading capacity on its Narita-Dubai route with the deployment of its flagship A380 from 15 November, as Japan scraps the daily arrival cap, and lifts the COVID-19 testing and self-quarantine protocols for inbound travel. Following the Japanese government’s announcement last month to ease the entry restrictions, Emirates has seen a spike in bookings for flights to its gateways – Narita and Osaka.

Emirates’ flight EK318 from Dubai will depart at 2:55hrs and arrive in Narita at 17:20hrs. The return flight EK319 from Narita will depart at 22:30hrs and arrive in Dubai at 5:30hrs the following day. All times are local.

The reintroduction of the Emirates A380 to Narita also underscores the airline’s long-standing commitment to Japan’s tourism and travel sector. By providing more capacity, the airline aims to serve the pent-up demand for travel into Japan along with providing choice and flexibility for travellers through its daily service to Osaka EK316/317, operated by the Boeing 777.

This year, Emirates is celebrating two decades of successful operations to Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. Emirates was the first airline to establish air connectivity between Japan and the UAE, as well as the rest of the Arabian Gulf countries back in 2002. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the airline continued to contribute to the local community by transporting essential air cargo between Japan and other global markets, which also helped to maintain the trade links that were needed during the unprecedented times via its Dubai hub.

Leisure travellers from over 60 countries can now travel to Japan visa-free and without guided tours. However, travellers must still check the entry requirements. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via travel agents.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers offering 14 First Class suites and 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class. Customers travelling to and from Narita can look forward to enjoying its spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites, Shower Spa and an award-winning inflight entertainment system that includes more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment. The airline has been gradually accelerating the deployment of its flagship A380 aircraft in line with growing demand for air travel. Currently, Emirates’ Superjumbo is deployed to over 30 global destinations with more routes to be announced in the near future.

 



 

 

 


September 5, 2022
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8min

 



 

 

Deploys newly-enhanced A380s with Premium Economy to New York JFK, Auckland, Melbourne, San Francisco, and Singapore; adds Premium Economy seats onto London and Sydney routes

Airline will scale up flagship A380 operations to 42 cities with over 400 weekly departures, its biggest schedule yet, with 85 Emirates A380s planned for active service by year end

Emirates has announced plans to debut its newly retrofitted A380s featuring its latest Premium Economy cabins to five new cities from December – New York JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore. The airline will also add more Premium Economy seats on services to London Heathrow and Sydney, as its newly enhanced aircraft sporting refreshed cabins roll into scheduled service.

The airline aims to offer customers more opportunities to experience its highly acclaimed Premium Economy product, and its latest deployment plans will also see 85 A380s back in the sky by December, well-timed to serve the year-end travel demand.

Emirates’ enhanced A380s with Premium Economy to New York JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore will operate as follows:

• To New York JFK, Emirates will operate with its newly retrofitted A380 on EK203 and EK 204, starting from 1 December.

• To Auckland, Emirates will debut its Premium Economy cabin on EK 448 and EK 449, starting 15 January 2023.

• From 1 February 2023, Melbourne will become the second Australian destination to be served with the signature Emirates A380 featuring Premium Economy. Services will be deployed on EK 406 and EK 407.

• San Francisco will become the second US destination to be served by the retrofitted A380 with refreshed interiors on EK 225 and EK 226, starting on 15 February 2023.

• Emirates’ enhanced A380 with Premium Economy will land in Singapore for the first time on 1 March 2023, operating as EK 354 and EK 355.

Emirates will also update its schedules to London Heathrow, Sydney and New York JFK with its retrofitted A380 aircraft operating on the following services:

• From 15 December 2022, Sydney will become the first city in the Emirates network to offer Premium Economy seats on all flights, with the introduction of the airline’s retrofitted aircraft on EK 414 and EK 415.

• From 1 January 2023, London Heathrow will receive its third daily service with Premium Economy, with the new product debuting on EK 005 and EK 006.

• From 15 March 2023, Emirates will operate its second A380 with Premium Economy to New York JFK on EK 201 and EK 202.

Emirates will also start A380 services with a Premium Economy debut to Christchurch from 26 March 2023, as an extension of the Dubai to Sydney service, operating with EK 412 and EK 413.

Scaling up A380 operations

With travel demand the strongest it’s been in more than two years, Emirates will provide customers more choice and a better experience as it ramps up A380 services to 42 destinations by the end of March 2023. In tandem, the airline is optimising its network to meet robust demand and enhancing its existing schedules to over 400 A380 departures from Dubai, offering 460,000 weekly A380 seats by March 2023, including 81,000 seats across its premium cabins, offering the very best in customer comfort.

By year end, the airline will be serving close to a third of its network with its flagship on 85 A380s as it unlocks more destinations like Houston, Bengaluru, Perth, Auckland, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, with additional cities to be announced in the coming weeks. With an expanded list of cities, Emirates will have recovered 75% of its pre-pandemic A380 network. The airline is also adding frequencies to popular cities already served by its flagship, bringing greater resiliency and stability to its operation.

Raising the bar for premium air travel

Since Emirates debuted its Premium Economy Class to London, Paris and Sydney, customer response has been overwhelmingly positive with demand exceeding expectations, demonstrating its appeal and willingness of travellers to trade-up and try the quiet luxury and meticulously customised experience it offers.

On a four-class Emirates A380, the Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck with 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. In the cabin, every inch of space anticipates customer needs with a generous seat pitch and width for working and relaxing, and customised features that offer function and convenience like in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table. The experience is rounded off with expertly curated in-flight amenities, an inventive menu and extensive beverage options.

The Emirates A380 experience has long been taking passenger comfort to new levels, with an extensive suite of products that turn the journey itself into a destination, including one of the industry’s largest screens for customers to enjoy the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice. Customers travelling in First and Business Class cabins can enjoy the aircraft’s signature features such as the popular Onboard Lounge and fully flat seats in Business Class, as well as private suites and Shower Spas in First Class.

Emirates recently announced plans to kick-off of its fleet retrofit programme, consisting of a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure customers continue to have the best experience in the sky. Starting from November, the airline will begin intensive work to upgrade and retrofit the interior cabins of 67 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft, with one aircraft rolling out into service every 16 days. By 2025, nearly 4,000 new Premium Economy seats will be installed, 728 First Class suites refurbished and over 5,000 Business Class seats upgraded to a new style and design.

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the A380, with 118 double-decker aircraft in its fleet. Since A6-EVF, the first A380 reactivated in 2020 began flying, the operating fleet has clocked in more than 31,000 trips worldwide, carrying over 10 million passengers.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.

For more information on Emirates Premium Economy, visit:  https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/cabin-features/premium-economy-class/

 



 

 

 


August 25, 2022
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5min

 



 

 

Dubai, UAE – 25 August 2022: As travellers kick-start the search for their next holiday, Emirates is announcing that it will restore its non-stop A380 services to and from Auckland and Kuala Lumpur, starting from 1 December.

The airline currently operates to both cities with a linked Boeing 777-300ER service, which makes a stop in Kuala Lumpur before continuing on to Auckland. The start of A380 flights will see both cities delinked and served with direct services to and from Dubai. The latest update to the airline’s schedule will offer customers greater levels of flexibility and much needed seat availability. The new services will also provide more opportunities to travel across the Emirates network with reduced transit times after the delinking of services, and faster connections to and from Europe, the Middle East, South Asia as well as Africa.

The non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland will also reclaim its title as the longest route on the Emirates network, clocking in 14,200 km, in addition to being one of the world’s longest non-stop scheduled commercial flights.

Emirates’ direct flight EK448 from Dubai to Auckland will depart at 10:05hrs and arrives at 11:05hrs the next day. The return flight will depart Auckland at 21:15hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:25hrs the next day. All times are local.

Emirates’ A380 service to Kuala Lumpur, EK 346 will depart Dubai at 0330hrs, landing at 1435hrs. EK 343 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 0145hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0505hrs.

The reintroduction of the airline’s flagship A380 to Auckland and Kuala Lumpur will provide more choice for tourists looking to discover these exciting destinations, and also offers travellers a chance to experience the A380’s signature products and services across all classes. New Zealand is ramping up its visibility with a global campaign in key markets to encourage more visitors to come and re-live the country’s incredible experiences and stunning natural attractions. To promote Malaysia as a unique travel destination, Emirates recently signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with the Malaysia Tourism Board to develop inbound visitor traffic into the country from key markets across the airline’s network.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, and signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites and Shower Spa. The A380 experience is always rounded off by award-winning hospitality, regional culinary creations and authentic tastes, and the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice, with more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment at every customer’s fingertips.

The airline is accelerating the deployment of its flagship A380 aircraft in line with growing global demand for air travel, with 32 destinations currently being served on a scheduled basis, and more to be announced in the coming weeks and months.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.

Those keen to get ahead on their travel arrangements and learn more about the Emirates A380 before they book can check out https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/our-fleet/the-new-emirates-a380/.

 



 

 


August 18, 2022
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5min

 



 

 

 

• Full cabin refresh for 120 aircraft along with the installation of Premium Economy seats

• Clockwork planning and testing begins to achieve turnaround time of 16 days per aircraft

Emirates has kick-started its plans to upgrade the entire interior cabins of 120 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft – two of the largest commercial aircraft types in service today.

This ambitious project, representing a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure Emirates’ customers “fly better” for the coming years, officially commences in November and is managed entirely by Emirates’ Engineering team.

The target is to completely retrofit four Emirates aircraft from start to finish every month, continuously for over 2 years. Once the 67 earmarked A380s are refreshed and back in service, 53 777s will undergo their facelift. This will see nearly 4,000 brand new Premium Economy seats installed, 728 First Class suites refurbished and over 5,000 Business Class seats upgraded to a new style and design when the project is complete in April 2025.

In addition, carpets and stairs will be upgraded, and cabin interior panels refreshed with new tones and design motifs including the iconic ghaf trees which are native to the UAE.

No other airline has handled a retrofit of this magnitude in-house, and there’s no blueprint for such an undertaking. Therefore Emirates Engineering teams have been planning and testing extensively, to establish and streamline processes, and identify and address any possible snags.

Trials began on an A380 in July, where experienced engineers literally took each cabin apart piece-by-piece and logged every step. From removing seats and panelling to bolts and screws, every action was tested, timed and mapped out. Potential impediments to completing the installation of Emirates’ new Premium Economy Class or the retrofit of the remaining three cabins in just 16 days were flagged and documented for expert teams to review and address.

As part of the programme, new purpose-built workshops will be set up at Emirates Engineering to repaint, re-trim and re-upholster Business and Economy Class seats with new covers and cushioning. First Class suites will be carefully disassembled and sent to a specialised company to replace the leather, arm rests and other materials.

From the trials, Engineers discovered several unexpected solutions for instance: that existing food catering trucks could be easily repurposed to move parts destined for refurbishment from the aircraft to the workshop for their refresh, as these vehicles had doors of the right width and offer sufficient space.

Until the retrofit programme starts in earnest in November, a cross-disciplinary team has been assembled to regularly review the planning process, address any issues, and track updates on various aspects of the project such as procurement, staffing, and training.

Emirates’ new Premium Economy cabin class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom, and a service to rival many airlines’ business offering, is currently available to Emirates customers travelling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris, Sydney. More customers will be able to experience the airline’s new Premium Economy cabins starting from year end, as the retrofit programme picks up momentum.

 



 

 

 


August 16, 2022
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4min

 



 

 

 

• Emirates to be the first airline to operate the iconic A380 to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport

• Flagship A380 service to be introduced as a daily service and allows customers travelling to and from the South Indian city to enjoy the much-loved signature experience

• Bengaluru to join Emirates’ network of over 30 destinations served by the double-decker aircraft

Emirates has announced that its flagship A380 service will be introduced for the first time to Bengaluru from 30 October to serve its customers on the busy route. Emirates also becomes the first airline to operate scheduled passenger services utilising the A380, the world’s largest commercial aircraft in service, at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.

The aircraft upgrade will allow customers travelling to and from the South Indian city to enjoy its signature services across a broader network. Bengaluru will be the second city in India to be served by the iconic Emirates A380 aircraft, with customers enjoying the signature experience on the Dubai – Mumbai route since 2014.

The daily A380 flights will operate as EK568/569 with an aircraft in a three-class configuration, offering seats in Economy Class, in addition to premium cabins, in Business Class and First Class. The deployment of the double-decker aircraft will complement its existing services, EK564/565 and EK566/567, each also operating on a daily basis with modern wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft. Flights EK564/565 will operate using a mix of Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft while EK566/567 will offer seats in First Class, Business Class and Economy Class aboard a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Emirates has been deploying its flagship A380 aircraft to an expanded list of destinations to meet high customer demand on routes popular amongst global travellers, boosting capacity on a single flight by up to 45 percent more than the Boeing 777 aircraft. Destinations served by the Emirates A380 aircraft currently stand at over 30 airports across six continents for August, with a total of over 130 destinations in the airline’s worldwide network.

The Emirates A380 experience has remained a long-time favourite amongst travel enthusiasts, loved for its extra legroom and comfort and the industry’s largest screens for customers across all cabins to enjoy the airline’s extensive selection of content on its award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice. Customers travelling in premium cabins continue to return again and again when making travel plans, for its signature features such as the popular Onboard Lounge and fully flat seats in Business Class, as well as private suites and Shower Spas in First Class.

Emirates started operations to India in 1985 with its scheduled services to Mumbai and Delhi and has been serving customers in Bengaluru with its award-winning services since 2006. Emirates provides access to nine points in India, with customers enjoying seamless connectivity to its global network.

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Offices, via travel agents or through online travel agents.

 



 

 



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Lanka Business News is amongst the leading online Business News portals in Sri Lanka, unique for its focus on contemporary business news relevant across multiple industries operating in the country. We present not only the news, but a perspective based on observations and possible implications of a prevailing news item. LBN also provides an insight to the impact of a global economic or industrial development, thus helping stakeholders make informed and calculated decisions.




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