Emirates will add the A380 to its Dubai-Tokyo route from July 1, 2012, and to its non-stop Dubai-Melbourne service from next October.
The carrier has now taken delivery of 20 superjumbo aircraft, allowing it to add new destinations served by the superjumbo next year, including Kuala Lumpur on January 1, 2012, followed by Tokyo and Melbourne later in the year.
Emirates serves Melbourne with one service via Singapore, and one non-stop flight (continuing onto Auckland) – this second service EK406 will become an A380 flight from October 1, 2012.
It means that UK passengers will be able to fly all the way to Melbourne on Emirates' A380 aircraft. As things stand schedules allow for a 2215 departure from London on EK006, landing in Dubai at 0805 the following day, and connecting onto EK406, departing at 1010 and landing in Melbourne at 0635 the following day.
On the return journey EK407 departs at 2225, landing in Dubai at 0540 the following day, before connecting onto London on EK001, departing at 0745 and landing at 1215.
It's also worth noting that the news will increase the pressure on Air New Zealand's London-Auckland flights, as from next October Emirates will offer two daily A380 services to the New Zealand capital.
Ahead of the launch of A380 Melbourne services, the carrier’s daily Dubai-Tokyo route will become a superjumbo service from July 1, with EK318 departing Dubai at 0250, arriving into Tokyo Narita at 1735, and the return leg EK319 departing Narita at 2200, landing back in Dubai at 0415 the following day.
Routes currently served by Emirates’ A380 include: London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Rome, Munich, Toronto, Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Jeddah, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, Johannesburg and Auckland.
From March 25, 2012 the carrier will operate four of its five daily services to London Heathrow with the superjumbo (see online news December 15).
For more information visit emirates.com.
Report by Mark Caswell and Alex McWhirter
