Air Transport

Unspecified electrical issue keeps Emirates A380 out of service

By David Kaminski-Morrow

Middle Eastern carrier Emirates has yet to clarify the nature of an electrical matter which is keeping its first Airbus A380 from returning to service while it undergoes engineering work.

The Dubai-based airline is not expecting to return the aircraft to flight operations until at least 12 September.

Engineers are working on an "electrical issue", says a spokesperson for the carrier, which was "noticed at the end of a training mission when the aircraft was parked in front of the hangars". The aircraft remains parked in Dubai.

The A380, delivered to Emirates at the end of July, has been used for training purposes in between twice-weekly flights on the Dubai-New York JFK route.

Emirates admitted last week that it had suspended A380 services, initially stating simply that planned engineering work had overrun.

The airline says its next scheduled commercial flight with the 489-seat aircraft is 12 September. In the interim period it is using Boeing 777-300ER twin-jets twice-daily on the JFK route. The carrier states that it is working to minimise any inconvenience to passengers.

Emirates is acquiring 58 A380s in total but delivery of its second, due this month, has been delayed - although there is no indication that this is linked to the engineering work on the first aircraft.

• Airbus A380 gallery on AirSpace including images from the Emirates A380 delivery ceremony