New Delhi: Emirates will introduce its flagship Airbus A380 on the Dubai-Delhi route from October 25, making the national capital the third Indian destination after Mumbai and Bengaluru to be served by the airline's double-decker aircraft.
The move is part of a wider network upgrade that will also expand Emirates' Premium Economy offering to six cities in India.
The A380 will operate on flights EK512/513 in a four-class configuration, while the airline's other three daily Delhi flights will continue to be operated by retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft featuring Premium Economy cabins.
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With the rollout, Premium Economy will be available on all daily Emirates flights between Delhi and Dubai.
Premium Economy expands across India
By the end of October, Emirates will offer Premium Economy on services to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Kochi.
The airline said passengers will be able to book Premium Economy seats on four daily flights from Delhi, 22 weekly services from Mumbai, 12 weekly from Kolkata, nine weekly from Ahmedabad, seven weekly from Bengaluru and two weekly from Kochi.
Premium Economy cabins feature wider leather seats with additional legroom and recline, upgraded dining served on chinaware, and other enhanced onboard amenities.
Kolkata to receive A350
Emirates will also deploy its Airbus A350 on the Kolkata-Dubai route from October 25.
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The airline's daily EK570/571 service, currently operated by a Boeing 777, will switch to the A350, which includes Premium Economy cabins. Combined with the five-times-a-week EK572/573 service operated by a retrofitted four-class Boeing 777, Premium Economy will be available on all 12 weekly flights between Kolkata and Dubai.
Airline cites strong India demand
Announcing the expansion, Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said the airline was continuing to invest in the Indian market through new products and service enhancements.
“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,” he said.
“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," he added.
Retail expansion in India
As part of its India strategy, Emirates recently opened retail travel stores in Delhi and Mumbai, with Hyderabad and Bengaluru set to get similar outlets. The airline also plans to open a dedicated call centre in Mumbai.
Emirates currently serves nine Indian cities Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram and operates 167 weekly flights to Dubai providing onward connectivity to nearly 140 destinations worldwide.
