Emirates A380 flights resume to Glasgow, Birmingham and Nice for first time since Covid-19

The Dubai airline also announced it is restarting a second daily flight to London Stansted

Emirates is resuming A380 flights to Glasgow, Birmingham and Nice over the next few months. Photo: Emirates

Emirates is resuming A380 flights to several destinations for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Dubai airline will operate the world's largest passenger jet to Glasgow from March 26 and to Birmingham from July 1.

Return fares to Glasgow in economy class aboard the superjumbo start from Dh3,055 in March, while fares to Birmingham in July start from Dh3,865.

Emirates will also deploy the double-decker to Nice in the South of France starting June 1, with return fares from Dh3,025.

Emirates will resume A380 superjumbo flights from Dubai to Glasgow on March 26. Photo: Glasgow Airport / Facebook

It's the first time the superjumbo has operated to each of the European destinations since March 2020, when Emirates grounded its fleet during the global pandemic.

As travel demand continues to rise, Emirates is also expanding its services to London.

From May 1, the airline will resume a second daily service to London Stansted. Operated via a wide-body Boeing 777-300, the aircraft will offer Emirates's renowned First Class product.

The new Premium Economy offering from Emirates. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National

The addition of a second Stanstead flight will mean Emirates is operating 11 daily flights between Dubai and London, with six daily flights to Heathrow and another three to Gatwick.

Restoring Emirates A380 network to 90 per cent

Pushing forward in its efforts to rebuild its global network, Emirates continues to ramp up operations to meet demand.

As the world's largest operator of the A380 superjumbo, it currently operates 80 double-decker jets to 40 airports around the world.

By the end of summer, it will be flying the double-decker jet to 50 destinations — a figure that puts Emirates at a recovery rate of almost 90 per cent of its pre-pandemic A380 network.

Ghaf trees, which are native to the UAE, have been hand-stenciled in the first class shower spa aboard Emirates retrofitted A380s. Photo: Emirates

Emirates is currently operating the largest aircraft retrofit operation in aviation history.

Its first retrofitted A380 entered service last Friday, departing Dubai for London Heathrow.

The jet was the first of 120 aircraft being given a facelift as part of Emirates's multibillion-dollar retrofit programme.

All A380s being upgraded feature four classes of cabin including Emirates's new premium economy cabins and refreshed first class and business suites.

Currently in the workshop is Emirates A380 aircraft registered A6-EUW. Round-the-clock work is ongoing as engineers and technicians take apart and refit its entire interior piece by piece. The jet is expected to be ready to fly again by the end of January.

Watch Emirates A380 superjumbo get a makeover