At the same time, Emirates became the first foreign carrier to offer a scheduled A380 service to Germany, a key country involved with its production, and supporting 40,000 jobs in Germany alone.
The double decker will operate as EK 049, one of two daily flights from Dubai to Munich and among the airline’s 60 flights a week to four gateways in Germany; Munich, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Frankfurt.
“After gradually building up services to Germany since 1987, Emirates is responding to strong demand by bringing its flagship aircraft to one of its most important markets, adding much-needed seat capacity and stimulating further tourism and trade between Germany, the UAE and beyond,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, Passenger Sales Worldwide.
Joining Antinori on the inaugural A380 service from Dubai was Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation, along with other VIP guests and representatives from the media.
Over one thousand spectators were expected to gather for the landing in Munich, where the giant 489-seat aircraft – under the command of German Captain Fritz Wildt – was set to receive a water cannon salute.
Volker Greiner, Emirates’ Vice President, North and Central Europe, will host an arrival reception at Munich Airport with guests including Markus Soeder, Bavarian State Minister of Finance, the Lord Mayor of Munich, Christian Ude and Michael Kerkloh, CEO of Munich Airport.
“Emirates’ decision to operate its flagship Airbus A380 on one of its two daily flights from Munich to Dubai represents yet another acknowledgement for the airport. The fact that this airline, which is successful on all continents, is relying on Munich for part of its expansion plans, is clear evidence of the excellent future prospects for this Bavarian air traffic hub,” said Dr. Kerkloh.
“For our passengers on the high-demand connection to Dubai, the operation of the Emirates’ A380 involves yet another clear quality improvement – after all, Emirates has attracted worldwide attention with the exclusive equipment of its A380,” Dr. Kerkloh added.
Emirates is the largest A380 operator in the world and have now carried more than 7 million passengers since the popular superjumbo was introduced to its fleet in August 2008. The airline’s A380 operations are supported by more than 2,500 dedicated cabin crew and 362 pilots.
The carrier’s 17 A380s now serve Munich, London Heathrow, Manchester, New York, Paris, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto, Bangkok, Seoul, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. Rome will be the next A380 point from 1st December followed by Kuala Lumpur effective 1st January 2012.
Each Emirate’s A380 offers an Onboard Lounge on the upper deck for Premium Class passengers to meet and exchange stories and do business. First Class passengers have the added luxury of two Onboard Shower Spas.
On the Dubai-Munich route, the aircraft is arranged in a three-class configuration with 399 seats in Economy Class, 76 fully flat-bed, mini-pods in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites. Passengers across all cabins can lose themselves in the more than 1,000 channels of ice, the award-winning in-flight entertainment system.
Germany plays a significant role in the production of Emirates’ highly efficient double-deckers. Specialist companies across the country contribute to the aircraft’s engines, wings, entertainment system, lighting and Onboard Shower features. Final finishing work is conducted in Hamburg before the superjumbo is formally handed over.
The A380 production line is part of a multi-billion Euro trade relationship between the UAE and Germany, assisted by Emirates’ SkyCargo, which operates 11 weekly freighter flights to Germany.
The new Dubai to Munich A380 service, EK 049, departs Dubai daily at 0910hrs and arrives at Franz Josef Strauss Airport at 1245hrs. The return flight, EK 050, leaves Munich at 1425hrs and lands in Dubai at 2315hrs.
Emirates has a fleet of 162 aircraft flying to 116 destinations and has a further 243 planes on order worth over $84 billion. This includes the additional 50 Boeing 777s ordered during the recent Dubai Air Show.