Emirates has taken delivery of the last Airbus A380 to be built.
The aircraft is the 123rd A380 in the Emirates fleet and the 251st delivered by Airbus.
Since its entry into service in 2007, the A380 has flown over 800,000 flights carrying more than 300 million passengers.
Emirates and Airbus have had an extremely close relationship on the A380 over the years. In 2000, Emirates was the first airline to announce an order for the A380. It is by far the largest user of the aircraft.
Emirates’ commitment was crucial to the launch of the programme that brought to market the world’s largest commercial aircraft with a full double deck and generous cabin interior space.
The latest Emirates A380 features the airline’s latest signature products onboard including:
- First Class Private Suites and Shower Spas
- the highly popular A380 Onboard Bar
- its new Premium Economy cabin
- the latest inflight entertainment systems
In November, Emirates announced a major retrofit programme which will see 52 of its existing A380 aircraft fitted with Premium Economy cabins and other enhancements, highlighting the airline’s ongoing commitment to the A380 passenger experience.
Here is a video of Emirates’ 123rd Airbus A380 as it readies for departure to its home in Dubai.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline:
“The A380 is a truly special aircraft in so many ways. For Emirates, it gave us the opportunity to redefine the travel experience, efficiently serve demand at slot-constrained airports, and bolster our network growth. The A380 will remain Emirates’ flagship product for the coming years, and a vital pillar of our network plans.
“The aircraft we are receiving today features our latest cabin products including Premium Economy. Compare it to our very first A380 delivered back in 2008 and you’ll see the myriad of enhancements and upgrades invested in ensuring that the Emirates A380 experience is unparalleled. We’d like to thank Airbus and all of our programme partners for enabling us to push the envelope to introduce many innovative ‘industry firsts’, and importantly, deliver the best product for Emirates’ customers.”
Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO:
“The A380 has touched the lives of so many passengers by setting new standards in terms of flying and travel experience. I’m confident that it will continue to do so for decades to come with Emirates, which has continuously introduced new services and products allowing passengers around the world to experience the unique features of their A380s.
“On behalf of all Airbus teams, I would like to use this delivery milestone to warmly thank Emirates Airline – the biggest A380 operator in the world – for their unwavering trust and partnership. Here’s to many more happy landings!”
Airbus is continuing to fully support all A380 operators and their fleets on over 70 destinations around the world.
N.B. Image credit: Airbus