Airlines

Emirates resumes its A380 services to Birmingham, Glasgow and Nice

The airline continues to rebuild its global network and ramp up operations to meet robust travel demand.
Emirates has also announced it will resume its second daily service to London Stansted in May 2023, boosting its London operations to 11 daily flights.
By the end of this summer, Emirates will have recovered close to 90% of its pre-pandemic A380 network.

Emirates has announced that it will expand its A380 operations, bringing the iconic double-decker back to Glasgow (March 26, 2023), Nice (June 1, 2023), and Birmingham (1 July 2023). The airline has also declared that starting on May 1, 2023, it will restart operating a second daily flight to Stansted using its legendary “Game Changer” First Class Boeing 777-300ER wide-body aircraft.

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Emirates will expand its operations to London with 11 daily flights, including six times daily flights to London Heathrow and three times daily flights to Gatwick, with the resumption of the second daily trip to Stansted. In response to the rising demand for travel, the airline keeps extending its global network and capacity.

Emirates currently deploys its flagship A380 to 40 destinations worldwide. By the end of this summer, the popular aircraft will be serving almost 50 destinations, restoring close to 90% of the airline’s pre-pandemic A380 network.

Emirates ramps up operations to London Gatwick with a third daily A380 service(Opens in a new browser tab)

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s US$ 2 billion retrofit program was deployed earlier this month on the Dubai-London Heathrow service featuring the Premium Economy cabin, and Emirates’ latest cabin interiors including lighter colour palettes in First and Business Class. The airline also plans to ramp up its four-class A380 operations featuring Premium Economy cabins to more than 35 destinations across 20 countries by March 2024.

Emirates is the largest operator of Airbus A380, with more than 80 aircraft currently in active service. The airline first launched A380 operations to Birmingham in 2016; Nice in 2017; and Glasgow in 2019.

For more information on flight schedules, visit emirates.com.

Airlines

Sanctions & Engine Issues Ground Half of Russia’s A320neo fleet

Russia’s aviation sector, already strained by Western sanctions, faces another setback as nearly half of its Airbus A320neo family aircraft are grounded due to unresolved engine issues.

This development highlights the growing challenges for russia commercial aircraft in maintaining their fleets under the weight of global restrictions and limited access to spare parts.

Out of the 66 Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets in Russia, 34 are now out of service, according to the Kommersant business newspaper. These planes are powered by engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.

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The engines are affected by a previously identified defect in the metal used for certain parts, prompting accelerated inspections and maintenance.

Sanctions have compounded the issue, blocking the supply of essential components from major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus. Without proper maintenance, experts warn that these aircraft may face decommissioning as early as 2026.

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Airlines like S7, which operates a significant portion of these grounded jets, plan to conserve the engines for future use during peak travel seasons. However, reports suggest that over 20 of S7’s Airbus planes have engines that have already reached the end of their operational lifespan. Recently, russia seeks assistance from kazakhstan’s airlines to bolster its domestic flights.

While some A320neo and A321neo planes in Russia are equipped with French-made LEAP engines, which are seen as less problematic, the challenges remain daunting.

The situation underscores the long-term impact of sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector and the increasing difficulties in keeping its modern fleets operational.