The hype about the Airbus A380 may have subsided, but it’s certainly not forgotten. Not by me anyway. After all that fanfare with Singapore Airlines’ A380, Emirates, the second airline set to receive the super jumbo is relatively quiet about is first commercial flight.
Searching for news about its maiden flight led me to ArabianBusiness.com‘s article:
Emirates Airline will make its first commercial flight using the Airbus A380 super jumbo on October 1 this year on a direct flight to New York.
A search on the airline’s own e-booking website reveals that the 8.30am flight, EK201 from Dubai to New York, will be an A380. The earlier flight that day, and the same flight on the previous day, are still listed as Boeing 777-300ER flights.
Source: ArabianBusiness.com
Checking Emirate’s website, flight EK201 from Dubai International to John F. Kennedy International Airport will be an A380. It seems first class is already filled, or may be reserved as it’s marked at Unavailable. Seats are still available for Business and Economy.
Like Singapore Airlines, Emirates’ first class passengers will enjoy privacy in their own suites.
The new private suite is fully equipped with individual storage, a coat closet, vanity desk and personal mini bar. The extra-large seat reclines to become a fully flat bed, and the 23″ wide-screen LCD screen features over 600 channels of ice entertainment.
Source: Emirates’ Website
What the heck is ice entertainment?
The Emirates A380 will be configured to carry 489 passengers for Ultra Long Range flights (3 classes), 517 passengers for Long Range flights (3 class) and 600 passengers for Medium Range flights (2 class).
A “private suite” on an airplane? For a flight from Dubai to New York? And they’re all booked up? Somewhere early in my life I must have made a series of wrong turns when it comes to making money.
Nyahahaha, I made the wrong turns myself, but I’m making sure I make the right ones now
Re: “What the hell is ICE”. I suggest you look on the Emirates web site, or fly in one of their many planes already fitted with it. ICE is an acronym for Information, Communication and Entertainment. When it boots up on the seat back TV, you can press I for the camera views or sky map, C for phone, SMS etc., and E for the films and games. There are around 600 choices on most flights and it is ON DEMAND (you do not have to wait for a movie ‘cycle’ to come round. Indeed you can give up ona film and start a new choice (from the beginning, of course). AND THIS INCLUDES ECONOMY PASSENGERS.
Basically, Emirates ICE installations are the best I’ve seen (in economy) on any airline.
Ahh, I see. Serves me right for not reading