Summary
- Emirates will double its A380 schedule to Singapore, giving passengers more options and increasing capacity by almost 5,000 seats a month.
- The change from the Boeing 777 to the A380 means a significant upgrade for passengers in business class, with lie-flat beds and direct aisle access.
- Airlines schedule changes are common and can provide a different flying experience for passengers, such as different aircraft and product offerings.
Emirates will double its Airbus A380 schedule to Singapore's Changi International Airport next summer, according to schedule data from Changi. While the UAE giant had planned to operate once daily A380 flights to the Asian airport, this has risen to two daily flights in the most recent schedule change. A third rotation will still be operated with the Boeing 777.
Airlines across the globe are constantly changing their schedules, typically due to a change in forecast demand or for other operational reasons. Often, these changes will have little to no impact on the passengers, such as the flight being retimed by just 5 minutes. However, as is the case with the Singapore Changi Airport substitution, aircraft changes can mean an entirely different product for passengers.
Emirates
- IATA/ICAO Code
- EK/UAE
- Hub(s)
- Dubai International Airport
- Year Founded
- 1985
- CEO
- Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
Changing the Singapore summer schedule
In its most recent schedule update, Emirates boosted its capacity between Dubai International Airport and Singapore for the Summer 2024 season. Swapping a Boeing 777 for an Airbus A380 gives the airline almost 5,000 more seats a month in one direction between the two airports, according to data from Cirium. While the airline's 4-class ultra-long-range A380 was already scheduled on the route, the 3-class ultra-long-range cabin variant is now also planned on the route.
Here's a look at the current schedule for April 15th,
Flight Number | Departure Airport | Time | Arrival Airport | Time | Duration | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EK 354 | Dubai International (DXB) | 03:30 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 15:00 | 07h30m | Airbus A380 (4 class ULR) | |
EK 352 | Dubai International (DXB) | 09:40 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 21:15 | 07h35m | Airbus A380 (3 class ULR) | Previously Boeing 777 |
EK 404 | Dubai International (DXB) | 21:15 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 08:50+1 | 07h35m | Boeing 777-300ER | Continues to Melbourne (MEL) |
EK 353 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 00:50 | Dubai International (DXB) | 04:15 | 07h25m | Airbus A380 (3 class ULR) | Previously Boeing 777 |
EK 405 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 09:40 | Dubai International (DXB) | 13:00 | 07h20m | Boeing 777-300ER | Starts in Melbourne (MEL) |
EK 355 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 21:10 | Dubai International (DXB) | 00:50+1 | 07h40m | Airbus A380 (4 class ULR) |
A significant upgrade for passengers
Passengers traveling in business class will surely welcome the change from the Boeing 777 to the Airbus A380, as the aircraft offers a far superior product. On the Boeing 777-300ER, the business class cabin has a 2-3-2 layout, meaning that not every passenger has direct aisle access. Additionally, the seats in the Emirates 777-300ER business cabin do not transform into lie-flat beds, stopping at a slight angle.
In comparison, the Airbus A380 does offer both lie-flat beds and direct aisle access for every passenger with a staggered 1-2-1 configuration. Of course, the added benefit of the business class cabin on the Airbus A380 is that passengers also have access to the bar at the rear of the cabin.
What do you make of Emirates boosting its capacity between Dubai and Singapore next summer? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!
Sources: Cirium, Emirates