Emirates Airline helped National Day celebrations get underway as its Airbus A380 flew into Hong Kong for the first time just hours before a dazzling fireworks display lit up the iconic harbour skyline.
With festivities in full swing across the city, the super-jumbo landed at Hong Kong International Airport to mark the start of its daily A380 service, connecting Hong Kong and Dubai, via Bangkok.
Richard Jewsbury, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East and Australasia, said: “Hong Kong is a thriving commercial hub and – along with Greater China – is integral to the future growth of the world economy. This economic strength makes it a key market for Emirates and we are delighted to be bolstering our commitment to the region by bringing our flagship aircraft to Hong Kong.”
The new A380 service will depart Dubai at 3.15am, arrive in Bangkok at 12.25pm, before departing at 1.45pm for a 5.40pm arrival in Hong Kong. It will return as EK385, departing Hong Kong at 10.25pm, arriving in Thailand at 0.05am the next day, before departing at 1.25am and arriving in Dubai at 4.30am.
Emirates’ luxurious A380 products include two on-board shower spas in the First Class cabin, featuring signature amenities by the airline’s premium spa brand, Timeless Spa. Flat-bed massage-equipped private suites await passengers in First Class, while in Business Class there is a new generation of all-aisle flat-bed seats, while those travelling in Economy Class can stretch out in seats with a pitch of up to 33 inches.
In all classes, gourmet food is served by Emirates’ multicultural cabin crew, while there is also mood-lighting and ice, the award-winning, inflight entertainment system, featuring over 1,200 channels of on-demand entertainment, including movies and music in Thai and Cantonese.
Emirates is the largest A380 operator in the world and flies daily from Dubai to Paris, Jeddah, Seoul, Bangkok, Sydney, Auckland, Beijing and Manchester, as well as double daily to London Heathrow and three times a week to Toronto.
Emirates will continue to offer its passengers the option of a non-stop daily service between Hong Kong and Dubai, currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER. The airline flies from Dubai to Malta on a daily schedule via Larnaca, Cyprus. The Malta route is a convenient connection to outgoing or incoming passengers from Hong Kong.