EMIRATES’ A380 ‘SUPERJUMBO’ RETURNS TO BHX

Emirates’ A380 ‘superjumbo’ returned to Birmingham Airport (BHX) today. 

The iconic 615-seat double-decker, absent since March 2020, brings much-needed extra capacity for business and leisure customers on BHX’s popular, twice daily Dubai services. 

Flight EK039 touched down in Birmingham on Saturday at 1225 BST (British Summer Time) before departing for Dubai at 1440.  

Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Divisional Vice President in the UK, on the tarmac at BHX to witness the return, said: “We’re excited to be bringing back our iconic A380 aircraft back to Birmingham. The return will make it easier to connect more passengers to popular, long-haul destinations including Thailand, Australia, and of course the vibrant city of Dubai for summer and beyond.  

As well as meeting increased customer demand, businesses across the region will be able to take full advantage of the cargo capacity. We’re extremely proud of our partnership with Birmingham Airport and our ongoing commitment to the wider Midlands region. We look forward to welcoming customers back on-board.”  

Nick Barton, Chief Executive of Birmingham Airport, alongside Richard, said: “Emirates’ magnificent A380 aircraft on the BHX tarmac is a sight for sore eyes. We are all thrilled to see it back. Whether travelling for business, leisure or family, our twice daily Dubai services are very popular, with nine out of 10 seats sold on average. The extra capacity offered by the A380 will be welcomed by Emirates customers.” 

With the capability to fly distances of up to 15,000km between take-off and landing, the A380 is one of the longest-range aircraft in the world. The aircraft’s wingspan is 79.8 metres, almost 30 metres longer than an Olympic-sized swimming pool.  

Emirates is the largest operator of Airbus A380 aircraft, with more than 80 aircraft currently in active service. The airline first launched A380 operations to Birmingham in 2016.