The airline attributes the move to sustained demand in the Scottish market, and the jet's ability to accommodate up to 517 passengers. Previously, Emirates operated Glasgow-Dubai flights with Boeing 777s, which have a capacity of 302 seats.
Richard Jewsbury, Emirates' UK divisional vice president, emphasized that the return of the A380 was solely driven by demand. He also dismissed speculation that the aircraft would be permanently grounded due to the availability of more fuel-efficient alternatives. Currently, Emirates has 80 of its A380s in service, with flights operating at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester.
Aviation analytics company Cirium revealed that the A380 is expected to be used for 5,857 commercial passenger flights across all airlines this month, 40% below the total for March 2019 but an 80% increase from a year ago. Lufthansa is the latest airline to announce the reactivation of its A380s this summer, while Air France permanently retired its fleet in May 2020.
