Emirates to Increase Milan Capacity with Airbus A380

[HD video below] Emirates is to increase capacity on its flights to and from Milan Malpensa Airport with the upgrade of one of its daily Boeing 777-300 services to an Airbus A380 from 1 December 2014.

Bringing the A380 onto one of Emirates’ three daily Milan services will mean an increase in capacity of almost 38%.

The triple-daily service connecting Dubai to Milan is currently operated with a mix of Boeing 777-300 and 777-300ER aircraft. One of these services continues onward to New York.

Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “With Milan Expo 2015 closely approaching, over 20 million visitors are expected to visit the city and more than 3 million visitors will travel to Milan from international destinations, and we are well placed to cater to the upward demand within that period and beyond. The new Emirates A380 service will also enable travellers to enjoy unmatched comfort and quality in all classes on the world’s largest passenger aircraft.”

Milan Expo 2015 is expected to have a positive impact as an economic catalyst that will boost local and regional economies. In total, the economic value that Milan Expo 2015 will deliver to the city and surrounding region is expected to top €34 billion. Over €11.8 billion has already been invested in both urban and regional infrastructure to support Milan Expo 2015, and a further €1.7 billion has been invested to construct the exhibition site in Milan (according to the Association of Enterprises of the Lombardy Region). Milan will hand Dubai the baton for Expo 2020, and the cities have signed an agreement for strategic cooperation on expo coordination. Dubai is also expected to make significant investments for Expo 2020.”

Giuliano Pisapia, Mayor of Milan, said, “The permanent arrival of the A380, the largest aircraft in the world, to Malpensa is a big boost of confidence that Emirates has given the airport. Almost two thousand additional seats per week will support the increase of traffic from all over the world to Milan. The introduction of the A380 on the eve of Expo 2015 can only be received with great satisfaction and demonstrates the attractiveness of Malpensa as an international airport, and of the Milanese, Lombardy and Italian territories as well.”

After starting flights to Italy in 1992, Emirates now operates 49 flights per week to Milan, Rome and Venice, contributing to a € 6.9 billion trade relationship between Italy and the UAE in 2013. Emirates has a strong economic footprint in Italy, contributing over € 100 million to the Italian economy each year via purchases of products and services, direct expenditures, marketing spend, as well as investment in major sponsorships.

Some of these investments are easily recognizable with products on board like Bvlgari amenity kits and Castello Monte Vibriano products. Just last year, over 2 million Bvlgari amenity kits were distributed to First and Business Class passengers and over 3.5 million bottles of Castello Monte Vibriano balsamic vinegar and olive oil were also served to passengers travelling in premium classes.

On the Dubai-Milan route, the aircraft is arranged in a three-class configuration with a combination of 399 and 427 seats in Economy Class, 76 fully lie flat beds in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites. Passengers across all cabins can enjoy more than 1,800 channels of ice, Emirates’ award-winning Digital Widescreen inflight entertainment system. They can also stay connected to their family and friends through their favourite social networks courtesy of high speed Wi-Fi access.

Each Emirates’ A380 offers an Onboard Lounge on the upper deck for Premium Class passengers to meet, relax and do business, while enjoying light canapés and delicacies as they mingle. First Class passengers have the added luxury of two Onboard Shower Spas to refresh before landing.

The airline’s A380 operations are supported by more than 3,000 dedicated cabin crew, of which 270 are Italian nationals.

The A380 service will operate daily as EK 91, departing Dubai at 15:40 and arriving at Milan Malpensa airport at 19:35. The return flight, EK 92, departs Milan at 21:20 and arrives in Dubai at 06:25 the next day.

Emirates A380 First Class and Business Class - HD

See more: HD Videos