Ek announces A380 first flight date

[Luke Chittock]

Emirates to Launch First Commercial A380 Service to America

Airline marks New York JFK for inaugural A380 commercial service on 1st ugust

DUBAI, UAE, 9th June 2008 – Air travellers will be able to experience Emirates Airline’s state-of-the-art A380 aircraft for the first time on 1st August, when the airline launches its first A380 commercial service from Dubai to New York JFK.

The 14-hour non-stop flight will also be the first-ever commercial A380 service to The Americas.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: “The Americas represent a key focus area in Emirates’ route development plans, and we are delighted to be the first airline to launch commercial A380 services to the continent. We are confident that Emirates’ customers travelling to and from North America will welcome the A380’s additional space and capacity, as well as our luxurious onboard amenities which will provide a very high quality travel experience previously associated only with private jets.”

Emirates’ A380 interiors and onboard product, which have been kept under wraps thus far, will be revealed for the first time when the airline receives its first A380 from Airbus’ Hamburg facility on 28th July.

Powered by Engine Alliance’s GP7200 engines, Emirates’ A380s can fly up to 12,000 kilometres on a full passenger load, and offer better fuel economy per passenger kilometre than most hybrid passenger cars. The A380 is also quieter, both inside and outside of the cabin, which means more comfort for passengers and a smaller noise footprint.

On 1st and 3rd August, Emirates will operate its brand-new A380 aircraft between Dubai and New York JFK on a commercial basis. These will be additional flights to its existing twice-a-day non-stop service. Subsequently, Emirates will deploy the A380 between Dubai and New York, on one of its scheduled twice-daily flights.

Emirates’ first commercial A380 flights between Dubai and New York JFK

1st August 2008
EK3801 Departs Dubai at 1100hrs Arrives in JFK at 1645hrs
EK3802 Departs JFK at 2100hrs Arrives in Dubai at 1745hrs*
*next day, all times local.

For more information on flights, check www.emirates.com <http://www.emirates.com/>

Emirates expects delivery of five A380s in its current financial year, all featuring its ultra long-haul configuration of 489 seats: 14 in First Class, 76 in Business and 399 in Economy; with 13 tonnes of bellyhold capacity for cargo. After New York, these aircraft are slated to operate on Emirates’ routes from Dubai to London Heathrow, and Sydney-Auckland.

The largest customer for the A380 superjumbo, Emirates last week announced it will receive the first of its 58 A380 aircraft on order on 28th July. The 58 A380s are worth US$ 18.8 billion at current list prices.

Emirates currently flies a fleet of 116 all wide-bodied aircraft to 99 cities in more than 60 countries. The airline has invested in 58 A380s, and over 100 more new generation aircraft that feature the latest technology and composite materials, because these are more efficient to operate, and produce less emissions while offering travellers more comfort in the air. Emirates’ current order book of 180 aircraft (excluding options), worth approximately US$58 billion, is possibly the largest-ever in commercial aviation history

Source: Emirates Media Release

[Steve Crook]

It's great to see the A380 going into wider service. Of course Singapore and Sydney were the first airports to see the A380 in regular service, but what airport will be the first to see more than one airline operating the airliner?

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook

It's great to see the A380 going into wider service. Of course Singapore and Sydney were the first airports to see the A380 in regular service, but what airport will be the first to see more than one airline operating the airliner?

It'll either be SYD (SQ & QF) or LHR (SQ & EK).

[Justin L]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

It'll either be SYD (SQ & QF) or LHR (SQ & EK).

Is EK getting its second A380 before QF's first? If so, SYD could see SQ & EK together first followed soon after by QF.

[Andrew M]

Originally Posted by Justin Lazaroff

Is EK getting its second A380 before QF's first? If so, SYD could see SQ & EK together first followed soon after by QF.

Yes EK gets their first A380 in Julyish!

QF around August

[Greg McDonald]

From Forbes magazine:

FRANKFURT (AFX) - Emirates Airlines, which is currently the biggest customer for Airbus' flagship A380 programme, has expressed doubts about whether the delivery date for the superjumbo will be kept, reported Der Spiegel magazine.

The airline now wants to send a team of technical specialists to the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse 'to see if the current timetable can be met,' Emirates' chief executive Tim Clark told the magazine.

The delivery of the troubled planes has already been postponed three times.

The A380 is particularly important for the Dubai-based airline as it is interwoven into its future expansion plans, Der Spiegel wrote.

If the delivery dates for the planes are postponed further, Emirates wants to buy up to seven Boeing 777s as a stop-gap until the Airbus planes are completed, the report said.

[JasonV]

For now EK is working on a delivery date of 28July in Hamburg when the A6-EDA will be flown to Dubai in preparation of its first commercial flight to JFK on 01August.

First batch of cabin crew training had started last week .. YAY !

[Brenden S]

Luke, I guess you will be on that first flight?

[Tim C]

Our very own Scamity travel merchant Mr Chittock and partner in crime Mr Mangles Conway will be onboard every Airlines first A380 flight I am told by them.