![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JWOOV4SOMFBLNJ3LYTX2ZYG2VM.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b936efe77b8498939d588f0ff62c9a9557d572df3154da3d45ad2ae6451cd42&width=400&height=225)
Emirates A380 Shower Spa First Class. Courtesy Emirates
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Visitors watch an Airbus A380, sporting the colors of air carrier Emirates, take off during the Dubai Air Show on November 22, 2005. AFP
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Workers of Airbus celebrate in front of the Airbus A380 on July 28, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. The world's largest passenger liner, built by the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, is delivered to the Emirates airline. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3CRR5UZV5RHCLOSGTHJE3OK24Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=399e5116581841f8c1ad7ca8f65006b845f7d71daad94702e827de7795526b9b&width=400&height=225)
A general view of the economy class on board of the Airbus A380 on July 28, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. Getty Images
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Emirates Airlines has launched a new daily A380 service from Dubai to Munich with its first flight at Munich Airport Franz Joseph Strauss on November 25, 2011 in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum holds a model of the Airbus Industrie's new A3XX superjumbo jet at the Farnborough Air Show, July 24, 2000. Emirates airline is buying 10 of the jets from Airbus Industrie in a deal worth more than $1.5 billion. PA Images via Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TOERA3NJNNFUNFESSLCOIR2WJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f730ff6cc28f6e86ed3aebc1b1cc8ac6efd30102392f857273b15dc51e059322&width=400&height=225)
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Thomas Enders, CEO of Airbus, pose for photographers after announcing that Emirates is to purchase more Airbus A380 aircraft at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 8, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. Emirates will buy an additional 32 A380 aircraft, bringing its total A380 fleet to 90 aircraft. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IRGCE745HRDCZP7EAUYP7MAIDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=da3eba20ea60f6bc156e168ac7b40da9299e5a539cadf4f5ab037ba71a0376e9&width=400&height=225)
Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid takes a tour of the Emirates A380 airliner during the opening ceremony of the Dubai Airshow on November 17, 2013. AFP
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Tom Enders, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Tim Clark, President of Emirates, pose for media during a delivery ceremony of Emirates' 100th Airbus A380 at the German headquarters of aircraft company Airbus in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, November 3, 2017. Reuters
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Emirates receives last A380 in November 2021. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Premium Economy. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Premium Economy. Courtesy Emirates
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JEMG4KHUF5HTVJCHBEXS2J7XFU.jpg?smart=true&auth=896b35e93162756baa559fcd88ce6dde9e12ec3d14d2fa764420dd11d2acba80&width=400&height=225)
Emirates A380 Economy Refreshed. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Business Class Refreshed. Courtesy Emirates
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JWOOV4SOMFBLNJ3LYTX2ZYG2VM.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b936efe77b8498939d588f0ff62c9a9557d572df3154da3d45ad2ae6451cd42&width=400&height=225)
Emirates A380 Shower Spa First Class. Courtesy Emirates
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2DNE37HAQJBTLDZJ5XTCC37J2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=22113a36ce4ec413a8ad90b63e40903c7e2834be9a741765dbdf44dd9797b33c&width=400&height=225)
Visitors watch an Airbus A380, sporting the colors of air carrier Emirates, take off during the Dubai Air Show on November 22, 2005. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KK3BKSSGNVGHHBELA2MXSVG2AY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4fff9ced44197d0e7a4b1939cf3a7343612e71765f123a4b2371cdc116b575e2&width=400&height=225)
Workers of Airbus celebrate in front of the Airbus A380 on July 28, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. The world's largest passenger liner, built by the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, is delivered to the Emirates airline. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3CRR5UZV5RHCLOSGTHJE3OK24Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=399e5116581841f8c1ad7ca8f65006b845f7d71daad94702e827de7795526b9b&width=400&height=225)
A general view of the economy class on board of the Airbus A380 on July 28, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NM77NS756NAKVARVIFKFF72T6U.jpg?smart=true&auth=efc78796ec346ac3475df42e711cd6f5a0856879db86efe5e1de2d15979e898d&width=400&height=225)
Emirates Airlines has launched a new daily A380 service from Dubai to Munich with its first flight at Munich Airport Franz Joseph Strauss on November 25, 2011 in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum holds a model of the Airbus Industrie's new A3XX superjumbo jet at the Farnborough Air Show, July 24, 2000. Emirates airline is buying 10 of the jets from Airbus Industrie in a deal worth more than $1.5 billion. PA Images via Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TOERA3NJNNFUNFESSLCOIR2WJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f730ff6cc28f6e86ed3aebc1b1cc8ac6efd30102392f857273b15dc51e059322&width=400&height=225)
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Thomas Enders, CEO of Airbus, pose for photographers after announcing that Emirates is to purchase more Airbus A380 aircraft at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 8, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. Emirates will buy an additional 32 A380 aircraft, bringing its total A380 fleet to 90 aircraft. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IRGCE745HRDCZP7EAUYP7MAIDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=da3eba20ea60f6bc156e168ac7b40da9299e5a539cadf4f5ab037ba71a0376e9&width=400&height=225)
Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid takes a tour of the Emirates A380 airliner during the opening ceremony of the Dubai Airshow on November 17, 2013. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FLPM62D4W6GAKSA673QGX26ZJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=05e529c99c841858bf6012662275a793c64c7dbb7a82c225ca6f206dad61faed&width=400&height=225)
Tom Enders, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Tim Clark, President of Emirates, pose for media during a delivery ceremony of Emirates' 100th Airbus A380 at the German headquarters of aircraft company Airbus in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, November 3, 2017. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NJHF752QKZCTNJDPEUZ7OCTMYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b7904a8be118442e928d8eab248ec299cdf1a4536a1ab0bc3b1e3a56fd2275b&width=400&height=225)
Emirates receives last A380 in November 2021. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Premium Economy. Courtesy Emirates
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XJL7JQ24WFHWPEYGJPRIOKLZNI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e4f1d635908e4f675ba2fe6b0f10bc6494aec663820bc09c46f552b4e4e22517&width=400&height=225)
Emirates A380 Premium Economy. Courtesy Emirates
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JEMG4KHUF5HTVJCHBEXS2J7XFU.jpg?smart=true&auth=896b35e93162756baa559fcd88ce6dde9e12ec3d14d2fa764420dd11d2acba80&width=400&height=225)
Emirates A380 Economy Refreshed. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Business Class Refreshed. Courtesy Emirates
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Emirates A380 Shower Spa First Class. Courtesy Emirates
Emirates' first Airbus A380 arrives for cabin upgrade
All 67 A380s earmarked for the $2 billion retrofit programme will be back in service by May 2024
![Ian Oxborrow](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F17d8e8ae-9d4c-4c39-9df9-321a626a521f.png?smart=true&auth=6235a7864f7cbc035d8070e77b37d3fcc19ce99154bfca710e2ca34c776c2e10&width=70&height=70)
Ian Oxborrow
01 November, 2022
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