The world’s largest international airline, Emirates, announced that it would introduce the first scheduled commercial Airbus A380 service to Istanbul, Turkey, from 1 October. For the first time, travellers to and from Turkey will have the opportunity to regularly enjoy the experience of flying on this iconic double-decker jumbo jet.
Emirates will operate the A380 on its daily EK123/124 service. Flight EK123 will depart Dubai at 10:45 and arrive in Istanbul at 14:25. The return flight EK124 will depart Istanbul at 16:25 and arrive in Dubai at 21:50. All times are local.
Deploying its three-class A380, Emirates will offer 517 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class, and 427 spacious seats in Economic Class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 150 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777-300ER.
First Class customers can look forward to Emirates’ private suites and signature onboard Shower Spa. In contrast, First and Business Class customers can relax in the popular Onboard Lounge on the upper deck. Passengers in all classes enjoy free Wi-Fi to stay in touch with family and friends, the industry’s largest seatback screens and Emirates’ multi-award winning ‘ice’ inflight entertainment, which currently boasts over 4,500 channels.
"We are excited to finally bring our flagship to Istanbul to join many other top cities we currently serve with the A380. Since Emirates started operating to Turkey 34 years ago, we have carried six million customers on more than 23,000 flights. Bringing the A380 service to Turkey is a major milestone for Emirates, and we would like to thank all our partners and stakeholders for their support in making this a reality," said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer.
"Since we moved to our new home at Istanbul Airport on 6 April 2019, Emirates’ A380 entry is another milestone for us. I am proud that the world’s largest A380 operator, Emirates, will operate the Dubai-Istanbul route with their flagship, making it the first-ever A380 operation at Istanbul Airport and Turkey. This increase will help to boost traffic between our two nations. In the post-Covid-19 era, Emirates’ extensive network will bring more inbound tourism to Istanbul and Turkey from currently unserved or underserved destinations. We are looking forward to further developing our good relations with Emirates and would like to welcome the Emirates A380 to Istanbul Airport," said Majid Khan, Vice President Aviation Development of iGA Istanbul Airport.
The double-decker A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft in service, and it is extremely popular with travellers around the globe, with its spacious and quiet cabins. Emirates is the world’s largest operator of A380s, with 118 currently in its fleet.
As international borders reopen and travel restrictions ease, Emirates has gradually resumed passenger services and will be operating 17 weekly passenger flights from Dubai to Istanbul, including two daily flights and at three-time channels – morning, afternoon and evening. The A380 will operate in the morning and will bring the total weekly capacity on the route to 7,000 seats in each direction, thereby offering travellers greater choice and connections to over 120 destinations.
With the much-awaited opening of the Dubai Expo 2020 taking place in October, Emirates has also launched several special promotions for travellers to visit Dubai, which includes:
Early-Bird Discount: This special offer is valid for any return tickets booked to Dubai as the final destination for travel between 28 September 2021 and 31 March 2022. It applies to bookings made from 28 September to 12 October 2021 via Emirates.com, through Emirates call centre or retail outlets, or via a travel agent. The offer applies to Emirates Business and Economy base fares; on Saver, Flex, Flex+ fare brands.*
Free Emirates Expo Day Pass: Emirates customers visiting and travelling through Dubai anytime during the much-awaited Expo 2020 mega event will be eligible to receive a free Emirates Expo Day Pass for every flight ticket booked with the airline. For more information on this promotion, please visit the dedicated offer page.
Health and Wellbeing: Keeping the health and wellbeing of its passengers as a top priority, Emirates has introduced a comprehensive set of safety measures at every step of the customer journey. The airline has also recently introduced contactless technology and scaled up its digital verification capabilities to provide its customers with even more opportunities to utilise the IATA Travel Pass this summer.
Travel Assurance: Emirates continues to lead the industry with innovative products and services that address traveller needs during a dynamic time. Recently, the airline took its customer care initiatives further with even more generous and flexible booking policies, an extension of its multi-risk insurance cover, and helping loyal customers retain their miles and tier status.
Customers are encouraged to check the latest government travel restrictions in their country of origin and ensure they meet the travel requirements of their final destination.
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