Unveils Shower Spas, Lounges On Flagship Airliner

Emirates Airline took delivery Monday of its first Airbus A380 'superjumbo' at the planemaker's new Jürgen Thomas A380 Delivery Center. 

This first aircraft will be deployed on the Dubai-New York route, marking the first commercial A380 service to the United States. Emirates' inaugural A380 commercial flight will depart Dubai International Airport at 11:00 am on Friday August 1, and will arrive at JFK Airport at 5:00pm local time. The flight, which is already fully booked, will take between 12.5 and 13 hours -- one hour less than on a Boeing 777.

The aircraft was received by Emirates President and CEO Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum at an official handover ceremony attended by President of Emirates Airline Tim Clark; Airbus CEO Tom Enders; former Engine Alliance President Bruce Hughes; Jürgen Thomas, the "founding father" of the A380; the 2,000 Hamburg Airbus staff directly involved in the production of the A380; and 58 Emirates cabin crew, representing the number of A380s the Dubai-based carrier has on firm order. 

HH Sheikh Ahmed noted Emirates may not have been the first airline to receive the new generation aircraft, but it was the first to place a firm order for it eight years ago. In July 2000 Emirates became the first airline to sign a firm commitment and place a deposit for the world’s biggest commercial aircraft, initially for seven aircraft, with five further options, collectively worth US $1.5 billion.

By November 2007, carrier had placed firm orders for 58 A380s. "We have stood firm on our commitment to the A380," he said. "Our investment in the aircraft, including engines and inflight features, exceeds US $50 billion. We congratulate Airbus for having created the 'greener, cleaner, quieter, smarter' aircraft."

Enders acknowledged Emirates' role in the development and delivery of the iconic aircraft. "We appreciate the confidence that Emirates has shown in Airbus," he said.  

The Emirates A380s will be powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, enabling the carrier to save 132,086 gallons of fuel per aircraft per year over any other engine alternative currently available.

Emirates has invested heavily in onboard features for its A380s. The jewel in the aircraft's crown is the First Class Shower Spa, two fully equipped bathrooms in its First Class cabins, including shower facilities.

Emirates also unveiled its Onboard Lounge. Located in the Business Class cabin for use by First and Business Class passengers, the Lounge is designed to make passengers feel like they are in their own executive club. Another First Class social area and bar is located at the front of the upper deck.  

Passengers will also notice a difference in the Economy Class cabin, most notably the straight walls which give the impression of increased spaciousness. This feature, combined with the advanced mood lighting system and noticeably quieter cabin, works to combat the effects of jet lag.
The delivery of this aircraft takes the Emirates fleet to 118, including 108 passenger aircraft and 10 freighters.

The 58 A380s are set to play an integral role in the carrier’s ambitious network expansion, eventually serving all the major cities in the Emirates’ network which spans six continents. Emirates is due to receive five superjumbos in the current financial year, which ends March 31, 2009, and receive the remaining 53 by June 2013.

The first five 489-seat, long range aircraft will be deployed on some of the carrier’s busiest routes including New York, London Heathrow (December 1st), Sydney and Auckland (February 1st, 2009).

It has also ordered two other versions of the jet including three-class, 517-seat medium range and 604-seat, two-class medium range.

FMI: www.emirates.com/usa, www.airbus.com