Emirates set to upgrade Airbus A380 service from Birmingham

AIRLINE Emirates is to increase its potential passenger volumes from Manchester with the introduction of a third Airbus A380 super-jumbo service to Dubai.

The introduction of a third double-decked plane will give the airline an immediate 11% additional capacity.

The airline has also announced changes to its services from Birmingham, where it introduced an Airbus A380 service for the first time in April.

From January 1, 2017, the airline will replace its current Boeing 777-300ER out of Manchester in favour of the larger plane.

On the same date, it will swap its current A380 service at Birmingham from the morning to an afternoon departure slot so that passengers can connect with an A380 service out of Dubai rather than the current Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates says the move is intended to offer a seamless ‘A380 to A380’ experience, but it also underlines its faith in the new aircraft, which is one of the most immediately identifiable planes flying today.

In a statement, the airline said: “Thanks to the new aircraft deployment, Emirates will offer 2,198 additional weekly seats on the (Manchester) route.

“The airline also expects to break the symbolic mark of one million passengers carried on the route for this financial year, attesting to the growing demand in the market.”

The A380 offers a total of 517 seats in a three-class cabin configuration, and those fortunate enough to travel First Class benefit from 14 private suites, while in Business Class there are 76 flat-bed seats.

The airline said Manchester had been an important destination for Emirates over the last 25 years and the second route launched into the UK after London Gatwick. With 21 weekly flights to Dubai, it offers passengers onward flights to destinations such as Bangkok, Perth, Singapore, Mumbai and elsewhere.

At the start of the New Year, the A380 service will leave Birmingham at 20:45, arriving in Dubai at 07:40, while the service to Birmingham will depart from Dubai at 14:50 to arrive in Birmingham at 18:45.

The A380 service to Birmingham will continue to operate with a two-class configuration aircraft, offering 615 seats in total.

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of A380s with 81 currently in its fleet and a further 61 on order.

 

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