Emirates Takes 123rd and Final Delivery of Airbus A380 Superjumbo Jet

The 123rd and final Airbus A380 superjumbo jet have been delivered to Emirates.

The plane, with the registration A6-EVS, will be based in Emirates’ Dubai hub.

At the Farnborough Air Show in 2000, Emirates was the first airline to place an order for the A380, which was then marketed as the A3XX. At the 2001 Dubai Air Show, an extra order for 15 was placed.

Emirates, the world’s largest A380 operator, stated its commitment to the aircraft was “crucial” to the debut of the world’s largest commercial aircraft, according to Airbus.

Emirates’ president, Sir Tim Clark, said: “The A380 is a truly special aircraft in so many ways. For Emirates, it gave us the opportunity to redefine the travel experience, efficiently serve demand at slot-constrained airports, and bolster our network growth.

“The A380 will remain Emirates’ flagship product for the coming years, and a vital pillar of our network plans.

Clark added: “The aircraft we are receiving today features our latest cabin products including Premium Economy. Compare it to our very first A380 delivered back in 2008 and you’ll see the myriad of enhancements and upgrades invested in ensuring that the Emirates A380 experience is unparalleled. We’d like to thank Airbus and all of our program partners for enabling us to push the envelope to introduce many innovative ‘industry firsts’, and importantly, deliver the best product for Emirates’ customers.”

Guillaume Faury, the CEO of Airbus, added: “The A380 has touched the lives of so many passengers by setting new standards in terms of flying and travel experience. I’m confident that it will continue to do so for decades to come with Emirates, which has continuously introduced new services and products allowing passengers around the world to experience the unique features of their A380s.

“I would like to use this delivery milestone to warmly thank Emirates Airline – the biggest A380 operator in the world – for their unwavering trust and partnership. Here’s to many more happy landings!”

According to aviation researchers Cirium, 250 A380 aircraft have been delivered to airlines, excluding the most recent delivery to Emirates. There are 76 in service right now, with a total of 165 in storage.

Eight A380s have been retired to date (excluding prototypes), while 246 A380 orders have been canceled over the years.