Emirates’s three daily flights to Sydney will all be operated with the Airbus A380 from the end of October as part of changes to the airline’s Asia, Australia and New Zealand schedule.
From October 30, the airline’s Dubai-Bangkok-Sydney-Christchurch rotation will be upgauged to the A380, from the Boeing 777-300ER operated on the route currently, and the stop in Bangkok dropped.
It will be the first time an A380 will be used at Christchurch Airport.
“We are well aware it’s not just travellers, but people with an interest in aviation and many members of the general public, who will welcome this exciting news and want to watch this magnificent aircraft come and go from their airport,” Christchurch Airport chief aeronautical and commercial officer Justin Watson said in a statement.
“We are working on a suitable welcome for the first A380 – so watch this space.”
The change means all of Emirates’ Sydney services will be flown with the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
The airline will maintain a Bangkok option for Australian and New Zealand travellers by switching its Dubai-Sydney-Auckland A380 service to a Dubai-Bangkok-Sydney-Auckland routing.
The Qantas alliance partner’s third Sydney service is a nonstop flight from Dubai.
October 30 is also the date Emirates switches its Dubai-Auckland nonstop service – which began in March and is the world’s longest passenger flight by distance – from the Boeing 777-200LR to the A380.
