Aircraft

As Emirates showcases its A380 aircraft in the US this week following its first revenue flight between Dubai and New York, the carrier is adjusting its delivery schedule for the second round of deliveries after the latest production delays.

The latest delays stem from Airbus bringing the first “Wave 2” aircraft equipped with redesigned wiring harnesses to power-on. Achieving that status took three-and-a-half months longer than expected.

Launch customer of the Engine Alliance GP7200-powered A380 Emirates expects deliveries of the second round of six-to-seven aircraft due to arrive at the carrier to be pushed back by two to three months, says carrier President Tim Clark. Deliveries of the carrier’s first five A380s are scheduled for completion in January.

Emirates plans to eventually operate two A380s to New York, one aircraft to London and two to Sydney.

Clark says Emirates would love to place the A380 on its flights between Dubai and Houston operated with a Boeing 777-200LR, but the 17.5hr flight is a push for the A380, and the aircraft would fly well short of its payload on the route. But Clark believes the aircraft would be full if it was capable of serving that market.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news