Emirates A380 to serve Barcelona

Thursday, 18 July 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Following its successful launch in July 2012, Emirates has announced it will commence a daily A380 service to Barcelona from 1 February 2014. Increasing overall capacity by almost 44%, Emirates’ new 517 seat A380 service will be the first permanent A380 service to operate into Barcelona El Prat Airport, replacing the route’s existing Boeing 777-300ER service and offering 2,198 additional seats per week between the two cities.

“Barcelona has been one of the most successful new destinations of 2012,” said Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President – Commercial Operations West. “In line with this steady growth, we feel that the time is ripe to announce the launch of our A380 service, which will continue to connect customers in Spain with Dubai as well as key destinations in Australasia, the Indian subcontinent and the Far East.” The new upgraded capacity will also offer strengthened support for popular markets from Barcelona, with the Emirates A380 servicing 12 destinations in Australia and the Far and Middle East, enabling customers to enjoy a seamless A380 experience. In February this year, Emirates’ popular A380 aircraft was welcomed into Barcelona El Prat Airport by hundreds of onlookers as the airline operated two ad-hoc A380 services to meet the destination’s burgeoning demand. “The A380 has been a part of our fleet for almost five years and continues to peak customer interest wherever it flies. Introducing the A380 to Barcelona permanently will not only increase our capacity but will also further highlight our commitment to the city,” added Frach. Since launching its inaugural flight to Barcelona last year, Emirates has further committed to this dynamic destination with the five year sponsorship of the Barcelona Open Tennis Tournament earlier this year. The 517-seat Emirates A380 offers 14 Private First Class suites, 76 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 427 spacious seats in Economy Class. First Class passengers have access to two onboard shower spas, while all premium passengers on the upper deck can socialise in the onboard lounge. Passengers in all classes of service experience Emirates renowned hospitality, receive a generous baggage allowance and inflight Wi-Fi, as well as access to the industry-leading ice entertainment system which boasts up to 1,500 channels of films, TV programs, games and music. The Emirates A380 currently serves a total of 21 destinations with a further four destinations to launch in the next six months including Brisbane on 1 October, Los Angeles on 2 December, Mauritius on 16 December and Zurich on 1 January 2014. Emirates boasts the world’s largest order of Airbus A380s with 35 in its fleet and a further 55 to be delivered.