Investigators probe engine blowout

PARIS, 2 October 2017: A team of investigators and engineers headed to Canada at the weekend to inspect an Airbus A380 operated by Air France, which was forced to make an emergency landing after an engine explosion.

The double-decker aircraft carrying 496 passengers and 24 crew had taken off from Paris on Saturday bound for Los Angeles and was several hours into the flight when the blowout occurred.

Passengers recounted hearing a loud bang followed by violent shaking, with video and photos posted on social media showing extensive damage to the outer starboard engine. Read more

Emirates to increase Sydney services

DUBAI, 13 September 2017: Emirates is set to introduce a fourth daily service from Dubai to Sydney, effective 25 March 2018, complementing its existing three daily A380 services.

The new service will use an A380 aircraft and will increase passenger capacity on the route by 6,846 seats a week, inbound and outbound between Sydney and Emirates’ hub in Dubai.

It represents a 7.3% increase in capacity for Emirates’ Australian services. Read more

Colombo’s runway is back

DUBAI, UAE, 21 July 2017: Emirates will deploy an A380 aircraft to make a one-off landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, 14 August, to mark the completion of runway improvements.

The special flight, operating as EK654 from Dubai, will be the first A380 commercial flight to land in Sri Lanka.

The one-off flight will allow airport executives, VIPs, trade partners and media to enjoy a guided tour of the double-decker aircraft. Read more

Emirates expands A380 flights

DUBAI, 24 May 2017: Emirates will introduce a second daily A380 service between Dubai and Birmingham, beginning 29 October.

Flight EK39/40, currently operated by a Boeing 777, will now be operated by airline’s A380, adding to the existing daily A380 already operating on the route.

Following the suspension of one of its flights to Birmingham, Emirates has decided to operate the new A380 which has 615 seats. This means that from October, the airline will operate a twice-daily, all-A380 service to the UK Midlands. Read more

Emirates to go all A380 to Melbourne

DUBAI, 2 May 2017: Emirates will introduce an all-A380 service from Melbourne when it upgrades its third daily flight from the Australian city, EK408 and EK409, from a Boeing 777-300ER to an A380 service.

The move will add 945 seats per week to the Australian city from 25 March 2018, representing a 10% increase in capacity. This means Emirates customers can enjoy even more seamless “A380 to A380” connections via its hub in Dubai to 18 points in the UK and Europe. Read more

Lufthansa deploys A380 on Bangkok run

BANGKOK, 22 March 2017: Lufthansa will increase passenger capacity on it Frankfurt- Bangkok route when it introduces the Airbus A380 effective 29 October.

The switch from a Boeing 747-400 to the Airbus A380 will increase seat capacity by 35% across four class cabins; first, business, premium economy, and economy.

Thailand continues to be a strong leisure destination for Lufthansa especially during the winter schedule, October through to March. Read more

Emirates flies A380 to Narita

DUBAI, 11 January, 2017: Emirates will resume its A380 service between Dubai and Narita 26 March.

This follows the airline’s recent A380 deployment to Moscow, and will take place after the upcoming launch of A380 services to Johannesburg. It will also coincide with the launch of A380 services between Dubai and Casablanca.

Narita will join more than 40 destinations on Emirates’ network served by A380 aircraft. Read more

A380 deliver slows down

PARIS, 29 December 2017: Airbus said earlier this week it was postponing for a year the planned delivery of 12 A380 superjumbos to Dubai’s Emirates airline, without offering reasons for the delay.

The aerospace giant will “change its pace of its deliveries by delaying the delivery to Emirates of six A380 planes from 2017 to 2018 and six others from 2018 to 2019,” it said in a statement.

Despite the delay, Airbus restated its aim announced earlier this year of delivering 12 planes annually from 2018. Read more

Emirates adds A380 to Auckland route

DUBAI, 24 June 2016: Emirates will operate its daily nonstop services between Dubai and Auckland using an A380 aircraft instead of a Boeing 777, effective 30 October, the airline announced Thursday.

After less than a year using a Boeing 777 Emirates’ flagship double-decker A380s will take over on a route, currently the world’s longest for a nonstop flight .

The airline has been flying the route since 1 March, in addition to three daily A380s flying from Auckland to Dubai and beyond via Australia, and a daily Boeing 777-300ER from Christchurch. Read more