Airbus Delivers its 251st A380 to Emirates
Emirates received its 123rd A380 in Hamburg on December 16, 2021. The close collaboration with Airbus has shaped the identity of the A380 over the years and continues to transform the passenger experience today. It is the 251st A380 delivered by Airbus.
A shared ambition
The story of the A380 is closely linked to Emirates. In the early 2000s, Airbus launched the A380 in response to airport congestion by creating an aircraft capable of serving global hubs. An ambition shared by Emirates, whose unique geographical position allows them to connect Dubai to all the world’s airports such as Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Singapore or Sydney, creating the possibility to fly more than 500 passengers around the world on one aircraft. Emirates’ appetite for the A380 is insatiable: with 123 A380s delivered, 50 destinations and 12 maintenance centres, the airline is unquestionably a major A380 customer.
Emirates has built its growth and success with the A380. Each new A380 is an opportunity for Emirates to offer passengers a new experience in terms of cabin comfort and choice of destination, taking full advantage of the business model offered by the A380
-Bertrand George, Head of A380 programme.
The airline’s strategy has enabled Airbus teams to improve the aircraft’s operational performance by up to 99.3%, a level never seen before on a four-engine aircraft – and to develop new innovations on an ongoing basis. The attention to detail given to the cabin illustrates the duo’s win-win approach.
Cabin innovation
“Emirates has always pushed boundaries on design and cabin innovation, a key investment in its strategy,” explains Michael Lau, A380 Industrial Designer in Hamburg. “Many of the innovations developed on the Emirates cabin were a first for Airbus, such as the first class showers, lighting scenarios and the recent premium economy cabin. Emirates has challenged us and given us confidence in our cabin expertise. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved together on this aircraft.”
