New Delhi, Oct 16. Emirates will introduce its refurbished Airbus A380 aircraft on daily flights to Delhi from October 25, bringing its Premium Economy cabin to the national capital and making Delhi the third Indian city to receive the airline’s iconic double-decker aircraft.
The Dubai-based international carrier hosted a preview of the retrofitted A380 at Indira Gandhi International Airport on October 16 for government officials, aviation industry representatives, travel trade partners and the media.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Pradeep Panicker, CEO of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), witnessed the aircraft’s arrival. Abdulaziz Abdulla Al Hashmi, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, was among the other distinguished guests present at the event.
The visiting dignitaries were given a guided tour of the aircraft’s four-class cabin configuration and its upgraded onboard amenities. The aircraft features Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin, which will be available to passengers travelling from Delhi for the first time.
The tour was hosted by Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice-President of Commercial Operations for West Asia and the Indian Ocean, and Mohammad Sarhan, the airline’s Vice-President for India and Nepal.
From October 25, the A380 will operate daily on flights EK512 and EK513 between Delhi and Dubai. Delhi will join Mumbai and Bengaluru as the third Indian gateway served by the aircraft.
The deployment will complement Emirates’ existing operations using retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft, which also feature four-class configurations with Premium Economy. The airline said its other three daily flights serving Delhi would also operate with the upgraded B777 aircraft from the same date.
The A380 deployment is part of Emirates’ broader efforts to upgrade its fleet and enhance the passenger experience in India. The airline is expanding the availability of Premium Economy across its Indian network, with the cabin set to be offered at six destinations by October: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Kochi.
Alongside the introduction of the A380 in Delhi, Emirates will deploy its next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft on services to Kolkata from October 25. The A350, the latest aircraft type to join the airline’s fleet, will also feature Premium Economy.
The expansion reflects the airline’s efforts to offer more passengers in India access to upgraded cabin products and improved onboard comfort as it strengthens its services between the country and its Dubai hub.
