EMIRATES BRINGS A380 BACK TO PERTH EARLY

Great news for those who love the Airbus A380 super jumbo with Emirates bringing forward its Perth A380 services to November 1, 2022, ahead of the planned December return as other airlines look to increase services or up-gauge to larger planes.

The move by Emirates will add 160 seats a day to its daily operations. to more than 500 seats each way.

Barry Brown, Emirates divisional vice president Australasia said: “Due to the consistently high demand for international travel out of Western Australia, we are thrilled that Perth will be joining our A380 network earlier than planned, which comes right as we proudly celebrate 20 years of flying to the city.

“We would like to thank our Western Australian passengers for their loyalty. We are excited that from November, they will be able to enjoy our flagship A380’s signature amenities, industry-leading products and generous space across all classes once again.”

EK420 will depart Dubai at 2.45 am and arrive in Perth at 5.20 pm the same day while EK421 will depart from Perth at 10.20 pm and arrive in Dubai at 5.25 am the next day. The daily A380 service will replace the current Boeing 777-300ER operation between Perth and Dubai.

This year, Emirates is celebrating 20 years of flying to Perth and since its inaugural flight to Perth in 2002, the airline has flown nearly 6 million passengers between Perth and its Dubai hub.

Qatar Airways is also considering bringing its A380 back to Perth although there is no confirmation of this move.

However, a move that will be welcomed is Cathay Pacific Airways' decision to move from a once fortnightly service to twice weekly from October.

The airline has been heavily constrained by Hong Kong’s strict policy of zero CVID and match quarantine restrictions. Before COVID Cathay Pacific Airways operated 10 flights a week between Perth and Hong Kong