Emirates will introduce its Airbus A380 on its Dubai-Delhi route from October 25, making the Indian capital the third destination in the country to be served by the airline's double-decker aircraft.
The A380 will operate on flights EK512/513 in a four-class configuration, joining Mumbai and Bengaluru as Indian destinations served by the aircraft. The airline said the move comes amid strong demand for travel between Dubai and India.
From October, all four daily Emirates flights between Dubai and Delhi will feature premium economy, with the A380 operating alongside retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft equipped with the cabin class.
The expansion also means premium economy will be available on flights to six Indian cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Kochi – by the end of October.
The National checked flight prices on the Emirates website for November, the lowest fare for premium economy listed as Dh4,400.
“Given the strong demand for travel to and from India, it is an honour to expand our A380 footprint in the country, with Delhi joining Mumbai and Bengaluru as our third A380 destination. We would like to thank the authorities for making this possible and value our continued partnership," said Adnan Kazim, Emirates' deputy president and chief commercial officer.
"We are also making our Premium Economy product more widely available across India to reach six gateways and close to half of our scheduled weekly flights. A host of other service enhancements are in the pipeline as a testament to our partnership with India and commitment to our customers."
Emirates is also introducing operational changes on other Indian routes. From October 25, its daily Kolkata-Dubai service (EK570/571) will be operated by the Airbus A350, while flights EK572/573, which operate five times a week on retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft, will also offer premium economy. The airline said this will make the cabin class available on all 12 weekly flights between Kolkata and Dubai.
Emirates currently serves nine destinations across India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram.
