Emirates A380 makes its anticipated return to Glasgow

Photo by Matthew Davidson – Emirates plane having landed at Glasgow

The Emirates A380 arrived and departed from Glasgow airport last Sunday for the first time since September 2019. The airliner is the largest passenger plane in the world. The airliner had not returned to Glasgow since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, so this is a key moment in Scotland's aviation industry returning to its full performance levels.

This signifies the beginning of the Spring and Summer schedule for Emirates. The airliner will make daily routes between Glasgow and Dubai until September. This is also the only direct route between Scotland and Dubai. 

Source: Wikimedia commons - A380 at Glasgow Airport for Emirates 10th anniversary

The A380 first arrived at Glasgow airport on the 10th of April 2014, this was to celebrate Emirates' 10th anniversary of the Glasgow to Dubai route. The route began on 10th April 2004 and has been in operation for nearly 19 years. It would not be until 2019 that the aircraft would become part of the daily service at the airport.

Glasgow Airport also has Emirates' famous chauffeur service and a spectacular Emirates lounge within the airport too. Emirates revealed their first A380-800 in their livery back in 2005 at the Dubai air show. Currently, the airline operates about 85 A380s and has 116 in total. The A380 contains unique features onboard such as an onboard lounge and a first-class shower spa.

 The A380 itself was first thought of back in the 1980s and was designed to be a competitor against the Boeing 747 for long-haul travel. It was, however, not officially launched until 2000. The airliner is the only full-length double-decker jet airliner. Typical seating on the plane is for 525 passengers however, this can be increased to a capacity of 853 passengers. As of December 2022, there are 237 airliners in service with 16 different operators around the world.