Emirates is increasing the number of seats it offers out of  Manchester

You may be thinking that it must be announcing its rumoured fourth daily flight from Manchester.

In fact, the Dubai-based airline will provide Mancunians with 100 more daily seats simply removing first class from yet another of its three daily A380 flights.

Let me explain.

Right now Emirates operates three daily A380 flights between Manchester and Dubai.  Two of these are configured three-class (first, business and economy) with the other being two-class (business and economy).

But from December 1 two of these services will now be operated by two-class A380s where the seat count is 615 as against 517 for the three-class super-jumbo.

It means first class will be retained only on a single service which is Emirates’ historically important flight departing Dubai at breakfast time and returns from Manchester at lunch time.

The two-class A380 flights from December 1 will be:

EK021 Dubai-Manchester 0255-0700

EK019 Dubai-Manchester 1440-1840

EK022 Manchester-Dubai 0845-1945

EK020 Manchester-Dubai 2035-0750 (arrives following day)

Back in 2016 all three daily A380 flights offered first class a fact which Emirates proudly proclaimed.

With one daily flight soon to have first class either suggests Manchester does not generate sufficient first class traffic and/or Emirates simply needs more seats.

So we await news of when Emirates will start its fourth daily service.

Emirates.com