Summary
- Emirates is the largest operator of the Airbus A380, serving 137 destinations worldwide.
- The airline’s growth began in the 1980s, and it now has a fleet of nearly 250 aircraft and 300 more on order.
- The smallest city to welcome the A380 is Christchurch, New Zealand, with Tokyo being the largest. London is Emirates’ most popular A380 route.
When was the last time you took flight on an Airbus A380? Was it with Emirates? The Middle-Eastern carrier is the largest operator in the world for the double-decker and remains the backbone of its growing domination of the aviation industry.
Emirates serves 137 destinations worldwide, with a mix of A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, and while many may be aware of its major ports, did you know which was the smallest city in the world to welcome the double-decker?
Emirates is one of two flag carriers in the United Arab Emirates, with Etihad being the other based in Abu Dhabi. From Emirates home at Dubai International Airport (DXB), the carrier is owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, which is owned by the Dubai government.
It remains the largest airline in the Middle East, serving over 3,600 flights a week from Terminal 3 at DXB. It has a fleet of nearly 300 aircraft, and in addition to passenger services, it has a growing cargo arm undertaken by Emirates SkyCargo.
Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying
Emirates’ growth kicked off in the 1980s when Gulf Air reduced its scheduled services to Dubai; Emirates was then subsequently founded in March 1985, where backing from the Dubai royal family aided in acquiring two aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines. The airline had $10 million in startup capital and was needed to operate independently of other government subsidies.
PIA aided in the airline’s training of new cabin crew on the grounds of Karachi Airport, Pakistan. Founded by Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the airline has grown into an economic powerhouse, and the founder now serves as the airline’s chairman.
The aviation industry is fierce, and while many airports become slot-restricted, using the double-decker aircraft is an optimal way to get more passengers from A to B. Emirates uses its unique position as a launchpad for transit operations, with a large number of its travelers connecting to other services.
While we could talk about the mechanics of Emirates all day, did you know where the most minor and most significant cities by metropolitan population are currently operating?
Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying
Please note the most significant and smallest cities are based on the metropolitan population. Cirium, an online aviation analytics company, provides flight data.
The biggest
Tokyo: 40.8 million inhabitants
The capital of Japan, Tokyo, is home to over 40 million inhabitants across Tokyo and its six neighboring prefectures. The city is home to two international airports:
- Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT)
- Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)
Emirates deploys Airbus A380 to Narita daily, with data from Cirium identifying 356 arrivals and departures expected in 2024. Haneda is complemented by Emirates 777 services daily. Tokyo Narita is 37 miles (60km) east of the city center and remains Japan’s busiest airport for passenger and cargo operations. Emirates schedule to Narita below:
|
Flight number |
To |
From |
Departure time |
Arrival time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EK318 |
Dubai |
Tokyo Narita |
02:40 |
17:35 |
|
EK319 |
Tokyo Narita |
Dubai |
22:30 |
04:10 + 1 day |
While Tokyo’s other airport, Haneda, is served with the 777, passengers arriving at the southern Tokyo airport are treated to a bus service to various main transit points across the mega-city. Watch our video below to learn more:
The smallest
Christchurch: 396,000 inhabitants
Going from the biggest city to the smallest city to welcome the A380 goes to the South Island of New Zealand, where Christchurch International Airport (CHC), welcomes the big bird seven days a week, usually greeted with much fanfare with plenty of avid plane spotterslining up along the arterial road surrounding the airports runway.
Christchurch was the first city in New Zealand to welcome the A380 back after the pandemic, and the flight into Christchurch is an add-on from the Emirate’s multiple daily services to Sydney. This represents 354,288 seats each way!
Follow the flight schedule below according to Flightradar24:
|
Flight number |
To |
From |
Departure time |
Arrival time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EK412 |
Dubai |
Sydney |
10:15 |
06:05 + 1 day |
|
EK412 |
Sydney |
Christchurch |
07:50 |
12:55 |
|
EK413 |
Christchurch |
Sydney |
17:45 |
19:05 |
|
EK413 |
Sydney |
Dubai |
21:10 |
05:40 + 1 day |
While New Zealand remains one of the most isolated countries in the world, given its location deep in the South Pacific, it welcomes multiple A380 services each week. Emirates also deploys its A380 to Auckland directly from Dubai, which for its return flight is one of the longest scheduled flights in the world, reaching 16 and a half hours.
Related
Emirates Brings The A380 Back To Christchurch
Emirates has moved quickly to restore flights in Australia and New Zealand and capped it off today with the return of the A380 to Christchurch.
Emirates most popular route with the double-decker
While it’s not the smallest or biggest city to welcome the A380, London is worth a notable mention. This is the airline’s most popular route with the double-decker. This year alone, Emirates is poised to operate 4,392 direct flights to or from London Heathrow to Dubai International, which translates to 2,170,198 seats. This is an average of six daily flights in each direction.
When was the last time you traveled on an Emirates A380? Was it to Christchurch, London, or Tokyo? Let us know in the comments.