Emirates will deploy an A380 on its Barcelona route from February next year, it was announced today.
The airline's 517-seat superjumbo will replace the Boeing 777-300ER that currently operates the Dubai to Barcelona El Prat service.
The switch, which takes effect on February 1, will result in an additional 2,198 seats between the two cities, an increase in capacity of almost 44 per cent.
Emirates' Hubert Frach said: "Barcelona has been one of the most successful new destinations of 2012. In line with this steady growth we feel that the time is ripe to announce the launch of our A380 service, which will continue to connect customers in Spain with Dubai as well as key destinations in Australasia, the Indian Subcontinent and the Far East."
Emirates began daily services between Dubai and Barcelona, its second passenger gateway into Spain, last summer (see online news, July 2012).
In February this year, the carrier operated two ad-hoc A380 services to meet the destination’s burgeoning demand.
Frach said: "Introducing the A380 to Barcelona permanently will not only increase our capacity but will also further highlight our commitment to the city."
The 517-seat Emirates A380 offers 14 first class suites, 76 lie-flat beds in business class and 427 seats in economy.
Graham Smith
