Emirates to accelerate last A380 deliveries

The Middle Eastern airline hopes to have reintroduced the superjumbo on more than a dozen routes by October

UAE giant Emirates has announced that it will receive its final three Airbus A380s this year, bringing forward the original delivery timeline from June 2022. 

The airline has agreed with the European airframer to accept the last of the trio in November, which will mark the end of the superjumbo’s production run. 

Emirates A380
Emirates operates nearly half of the total number of A380s ever produced. Aviation Image Network/Bailey

Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, commented: “We’ve come to an agreement with Airbus to bring forward the delivery of our remaining A380 orders and have secured financing for these units. These new aircraft will also add more highly sought-after Premium Economy seats into our inventory, as we prepare to fully launch this cabin product in the coming months.” 

He added: “Emirates will continue to be the largest operator of this spacious and modern aircraft for the next two decades, and we’re committed to ensuring that the Emirates A380 experience remains a customer favourite with ongoing investments to enhance our product and services.” 

Emirates A380
Emirates hopes to be operating the A380 to more than a dozen destinations by October. Aviation Image Network/Simon Gregory

The new additions will bring the carrier’s superjumbo fleet to 122, which accounts for nearly half the total number ever built which total 248. 

Emirates has slowly been reintroducing the giant jet on its routes around the world. By October, it hopes to have scheduled A380 flights to more than a dozen destinations between Dubai and Amman, Cairo, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, London/Heathrow, Los Angeles, Manchester, Mauritius, Moscow, Munich, New York/JFK, Paris, Toronto, Vienna, Washington DC, and Zurich. 

The operator’s four-class superjumbos are currently flying on routes between the UAE capital and Heathrow and Paris/Charles de Gaulle.