A rainy approach to San Francisco, a rousing water cannon salute in Frankfurt, a night time touchdown in Mumbai and a glide slope landing view from London Gatwick Emirates, were all performed by the mega aircraft, double-decker A380, which has become a showstopper around the world, courtesy Emirates Airline.
The global connector of people and places marked a record launch of 10 new A380 routes in 2014 and recently released a ‘mash-up’ video that shows the iconic aircraft landing in 10 destinations worldwide.
“2014 was a record breaking year for our A380 network, and adding 10 new A380 destinations has given our customers more choice to travel to their favourite destinations and experience what this exceptional aircraft has to offer. Our onboard innovations across all three classes continue to wow our customers, and we hope even more travellers will have the opportunity to experience our industry-leading product as we expand our A380 fleet and network,” said Thierry Antinori, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Commercial Operations Worldwide, Emirates Airline.
The Emirates A380 celebrated New Year in style by taking off to Zurich. It then said ‘Hola’ to Barcelona in February, marking Spain’s first permanent A380 service. The double-decker then jetted into London Gatwick in March, followed by Kuwait in mid-July, marking the world’s shortest scheduled A380 service.
A week later, Emirates upped the ante by introducing the A380 on its Mumbai route, fulfilling on-going demand from travellers in India. Emirates flew its A380 into Frankfurt for the first time in September and Dallas became the Emirates A380’s next port of call in October.
In December, Emirates created aviation history by launching three new A380 routes in just three days – Milan and San Francisco on 1st December, followed by Houston on December 3, 2014 concluding a momentous year.
In May, the Emirates A380 was the star attraction at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2014 drawing in thousands of visitors while on static display. The aircraft continues to be a showstopper at airports around the world. The double-decker also performed ceremonial one-off flights to Vienna, Glasgow, Tehran and Manila, where it was feted by VIPs, media and the public.
Read also: Etihad Airways marks first A380 flight with fan-fare at Abu Dhabi airport
The 3-minute long ‘mash-up’ video features unique footage from the Emirates A380 flight deck, including a rainy approach to San Francisco, a rousing water cannon salute in Frankfurt, a night time touchdown in Mumbai and a glide slope landing view from London Gatwick.
Emirates also reached out to plane-spotters from around the globe who shared their footage of the Emirates A380 touching down in their cities for the first time.
In 2014, Emirates received 13 Airbus A380s, including its 50th A380.
Currently the world’s largest A380 operator with 57 aircraft in fleet, Emirates is expecting to take delivery of 15 A380s in 2015 and currently has 83 A380s on order. The Emirates A380 flies to 34 destinations across the globe, with Perth to join the network in May 2015.
Comfortable and modern, the Emirates fleet has been acclaimed by industry insiders and passengers alike. As for the A380 comfort, you can reawaken your senses in the onboard shower spa as there’s nothing quite like a rejuvenating shower to leave you feeling inspired.
Prepare for your arrival in the A380 Shower Spa, using a selection of Bvlgari toiletries and signature Timeless Spa products.
Once you have finished pampering, replenish your energy with one of the detoxifying fresh juices. Just the boost you need to feel ready to take on the day.
Take a break, stretch your legs and meet some of the most interesting people on the planet in the A380 Onboard Lounge – exclusive to First Class and Business Class customers.
Make new friends as you delve into a selection of canapés and sip a refreshing cocktail and choose from premium spirits, exclusive wines, champagne, cocktails and beers alongside hot and cold beverages served by our dedicated bartender.
Aboard it, you can slide the privacy doors closed and unwind in your own world and enjoy a glass of exclusive wine or champagne, or help yourself to your personal mini-bar. Turn down the ambient lighting, choose your entertainment, and relax in your private cinema.
Convert your seat into a fully flat bed with mattress and drift into a restful sleep. Your vanity table and mirror help you prepare for the day ahead, to arrive feeling refreshed. Fly in your own First Class Private Suite on all the A380 and A340-500 aircraft, and on most Boeing 777s.
Whether you’re flying to your next meeting or enjoying your latest adventure, our flat-bed Business Class seats help you arrive inspired. That is not all, tarvellers enjoyment continues as they have the opportunity of send emails, write the next chapter of your book or upload your latest blog post.
There is also in-seat power for your laptop and a side table for space to work, then choose a drink from your personal mini-bar and sit back to award-winning entertainment and recline your seat into a fully flat bed to arrive feeling refreshed.
The flat-bed seats are on all the A380 and most Boeing 777 aircraft. With the signature Healthy Options menu, multi-course meals and kid-friendly offerings, Emirates offer a robust variety of dining choices. The chefs design dishes to reflect cuisine from different regions around the globe and prepare them with locally sourced ingredients. Its sommelier selects wines uniquely suited to withstand the rigours of air travel. And extras in First Class like High Tea, hors d’oeuvres in the Onboard Lounges and on-demand dining mean you can satisfy all kinds of culinary cravings during your journey.
In addition, Emirates’ Wi-Fi in the sky service lets you connect to the internet while in flight. Select A380 flights also offer mobile phone use and data roaming using GPRS/EDGE. If that’s not enough, every seat on board the Emirates A380 has a satellite telephone and onscreen email/SMS services.
Whatever you are in the mood for, the ice system’s over 2,000 channels will deliver on-demand entertainment for as long as you wish. Enjoy critically acclaimed movies and TV programmes, as well as, endless music choices, video games and news from around the world. There is always something on, so relax and enjoy.
Sade Williams
