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

PIA Reinstates Manchester and Paris Routes After EU Ban Lift

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced plans to resume flights to Europe starting in January, beginning with Paris as its first destination.

The decision follows the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) removal of a long-standing ban on the airline. PIA’s inaugural flight to Paris is scheduled for January 10, with bookings opening on December 9.

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In an official statement, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan confirmed that the first flight schedule has been approved, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s recovery efforts. The EU ban had previously cost PIA approximately Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually in lost revenue, compounding its financial struggles.

With European operations restarting, PIA is now setting its sights on the United Kingdom. The airline plans to seek approval from the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to resume flights to major British cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

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These routes are anticipated to see high demand once necessary clearances are obtained. The lifting of the EU ban represents a key achievement for PIA as it works to rebuild its international network and regain its standing in the global aviation market.

By restoring flights to Europe and aiming for UK destinations, PIA is taking critical steps toward recovering lost ground and improving its financial outlook.