Emirates connects Zimbabwe to A380 network

HARARE - Emirates, which flies daily from Harare to Lusaka and Dubai, is offering its passengers from Zimbabwe a growing number of opportunities to connect to the world through its expanding fleet of A380 aircraft.

The airline now has 44 of the world's largest passenger planes, which have 517 seats: 14 seats in First Class, 76 seats in Business Class and 427 seats in Economy Class.

This means that passengers from Harare can connect through Emirates' dedicated A380 terminal in Dubai to 25 destinations from Auckland to Zurich that are served by the A380.

"The A380 is a truly remarkable aircraft and is a travel experience in its own right. Since Emirates began flying to Harare almost two years ago, customers here have been able to link into a growing network of cities served by the A380, while making overseas trips as exciting and fun as the final destinations," said Emirates Country Manager for Zimbabwe Paulos Legesse.

Once in Dubai, passengers transit to Concourse A, the dedicated home of Emiates' A380 fleet and the world's first purpose-built facility for the aircraft at Dubai International. The concourse, part of Terminal 3, comprises 20 A380-capable contact gates, as well as Emirates' flagship First Class and Business Class lounges, the largest in the world.

Emirates operates the world's largest fleet of A380s, flying one in three of these modern jets in the skies today. Emirates was the first airline to order the aircraft back in 2000, and it ordered another 50 more at the Dubai Air Show in November. In 2013, Emirates received 13 A380 aircraft and it expects to receive another 13 in 2014. The airline still has 96 more A380s worth US$43 billion on order, of which 71 are expected to be delivered over the next five years, before the end of 2018.

From its Dubai hub and dedicated A380 terminal, Emirates' A380s crisscross the globe flying to 25 destinations spanning Los Angeles to Auckland. Illustrating the range of the A380, Emirates' currently operates the world's longest non-stop A380 service (13,414 kilometers), with its daily A380 flight between Dubai and Los Angeles, launched earlier this month.  Emirates' shortest A380 flight is between Bangkok and Hong Kong, clocking 1,900 kilometers.

Emirates' current A380 destinations are:  Amsterdam, Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Manchester, Mauritius, Melbourne, Moscow, Munich, New York JFK, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto and Brisbane. Zurich became the newest destination for the Emirates A380 when it was launched on January 8 this year.

"Our customers love the A380 - from the quieter cabins and spacious layout on the main deck, to the on-board lounge and shower spas in our premium cabins. It is a beautiful aircraft which we have packed full of the best inflight comforts and products. From an operator standpoint, the A380 is still one of the most fuel efficient aircraft per seat. It offers us some flexibility in range and also helps us to meet demand at slot-constrained airports," said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

"Continuous improvements are being made to the A380, by the manufacturer as well as by Emirates in terms of our on-board product. For instance our latest A380s have been fitted with even bigger high definition LCD TV screens to enhance the inflight entertainment experience. We've also introduced new touch-screen tablets that allow passengers to control all their seat functions and movie selections with just one swipe. Small details, but all these add up to provide a great flying experience," he added.
It was the August 1, 2008 when Emirates operated its first scheduled Airbus A380 flight to New York. Now, the airline flies to 25 A380 destinations including London Heathrow, Rome, Moscow, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore.

More than 7,000 cabin crew support a world-renowned fleet of A380s, along with nearly 670 flight deck crew.

Over the first five years of operation â€" celebrated in August last year - more than 35 million meals have been served during 20,000 trips, spanning 265 million kilometres. In all, 37 airports have been visited, either for scheduled flights, one off special appearances or because of diversions.

The main talking point amongst those who have flown on the upper deck of the A380 is the Onboard Lounge, where Business Class and First Class travellers can exchange tales and talk business over a drink at 40,000 feet. All Emirates' A380s are fitted with WiFi, allowing full connectivity with the ground. 

Click here to take a virtual tour on-board Emirates' A380 with Google Street View.