A major airline is set to keep the world’s largest passenger aircraft in the air for another 15 years with a huge £2.3 billion upgrade.
Airbus A380 super-jumbos are capable of carrying up 615 travellers, making them the largest commercial passenger airline to have ever graced the skies.
The United Arab Emirates-based flay carrying airliner has strong connections to the UK through its president, dual British-Emirati citizen Sir Tim Clark.
A380 aircraft, operated by various airlines, currently fly from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester to destinations all over the world.
According to the Telegraph, Emirates, which has the largest fleet of A380s in the world, has announced plans to refurbish all 116 it operates with a massive multi-billion pound investment.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates deputy president, said the Dubai airline would operate A380s until 2038 or 2039.
He said: “With many airports not really investing or expanding, you need that uplift. We cannot replace the A380 with any other type of aircraft, so it’s important to keep it for as long as we can.”
Mr Kazim was speaking at a recent launch of an Emirates store, featuring an example of an A380 first-class seating area and the drinks bar which is also on the aircraft.
A first-class ticket between Heathrow and Dubai costs around £7,300, and business hovers at about £2,850.
Mr Kazim added: “London has a huge demand for these seats, not just at Heathrow but even at Gatwick and Stansted. We’ve invested a lot of money at the airports but we also want to display our first-class cabin here so that we can showcase the new A380 product.”
Emirates currently serves the UK with 133 weekly flights to Dubai, connecting the UK via seven airports with 140 destinations around the world.
In London, Emirates operates from Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted, carrying more than 45,000 passengers to and from the UK capital every week.
Sir Tim Clark, 74, who helped found the Emirates airline in 1985, became its president in 2003 and was due to stand down in 2020, but remains at the helm as his deputies handle operational and commercial strategies.
Mr Kazim continued: “I think now we have a much clearer way forward. Everyone knows what they are doing and he is there for us as needed.”
