Airlines

Emirates’ flagship A380 to return to Perth’s skies from 1 December

Emirates will reintroduce its flagship A380 to Perth as part of the airline’s ramp-up of services to Australia. The up gauge will increase Emirates’ seating capacity between its hub Dubai and Perth, with close to 500 seats available on each flight.

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From 1 December, Emirates will reintroduce its flagship A380 to Perth as part of the airline’s ramp up of services to Australia. The up gauge will increase Emirates’ seating capacity between its hub Dubai and Perth, with close to 500 seats available on each flight.

EK420 from Dubai will depart at 02:45, arriving in Perth at 17:20 the same day while EK421 flight will depart from Perth at 22:20, arriving in Dubai at 05:25 the following day. The daily A380 service will replace the existing daily Boeing 777- 300ER operation between Dubai and Perth.

The up gauge comes as Emirates proudly celebrates 20 years of serving the skies and communities of Perth, offering unparalleled connectivity to Dubai and across its global network.

20 Years of Flying to Perth

Since its inaugural flight to Perth back in August 2002, Emirates has flown close to 6 million passengers between Perth and its Dubai hub, travelling more than 220 million kilometers on over 24,000 flights.

Initially starting as a four times weekly service, the airline expanded its Perth operations due to strong demand for travel, the seamless connectivity provided by the airline, coupled with its award winning product and hospitality. This grew to a daily operation in May 2003 and was followed by the opening of Emirates’ first Perth lounge in February 2006.

Emirates has also been a longstanding supporter of arts, cultural and sporting institutions during this period in Western Australia, with investments across a number of initiatives.

The airline’s cargo arm, Emirates Sky Cargo, has also been an important contributor to the local economy, exporting meat, fruit and vegetables and mining equipment across the airline’s global route network including the Middle East, Europe and beyond.

The Demand for Travel

Emirates has seen a strong increase in passenger bookings to and from Australia with significant demand across all its cabins, particularly following the launch of its Premium Economy which was first introduced on one of its daily Sydney services on 1 August.

The European summer has been the biggest driver of demand for Emirates, with European cities making up 8 of its top ten destinations Australians are currently flying to. Topping the list is the UK followed by Italy, France, Greece and Ireland making up the top five. Spain, Lebanon, Germany, The Netherlands and Turkey round out the top 10 destinations.

Many Emirates passengers are taking advantage of stopover travel, with the airline seeing a strong increase in the number of passengers who have enjoyed a brief stop in Dubai. Dubai Experience, which launched in April across 20 markets including Australia, helps passengers explore everything about Dubai and the UAE.

Flying with Emirates

Customers of Emirates and Qantas have access to an expansive network of destinations thanks to the codeshare partnership between the two airlines. Together, Emirates and Qantas provide customers access to more than 100 codeshare destinations, including 55 points across Australia and New Zealand. Qantas customers can fly with Emirates to Dubai and access over 50 cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Emirates remains focused on taking the stress out of travel and has led the industry in protecting the health of its customers. Emirates’ customers travel with the assurance that the latest health and safety measures are in place at every step of the journey.

Airlines

German Carrier Lufthansa Plans for 20% Job Cuts in Administration

Lufthansa Airlines is reportedly planning significant job cuts in its administrative workforce. According to Manager Magazin, the German carrier intends to reduce administrative positions by 20% as part of its cost-cutting measures amidst an anticipated decline in earnings.

This reduction could impact approximately 400 jobs, the report revealed. While Lufthansa has not directly commented on the layoffs, the airline confirmed its goal of cutting administrative costs by 20% by 2028.

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The strategy involves leveraging digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation. “A hiring freeze is currently in place for administrative roles at Lufthansa Airlines,” said a company spokesperson.

The staff reduction is expected to occur through natural attrition and age-related turnover, rather than forced layoffs. The internal projection cited by the magazine warns that Lufthansa could face an operating loss of €800 million ($843.92 million) by 2026 if no corrective measures are taken.

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The report highlights the challenges companies face in aligning workforce requirements with current and future demands. Failure to adapt could necessitate drastic actions, such as restructuring and layoffs, which carry significant repercussions for both the organization and its employees.

As Lufthansa navigates these challenges, the airline appears committed to balancing cost efficiency with digital transformation to maintain its competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.