UAE Vice President flags off Emirates' second Airbus A380 superjumbo

Dubai, Oct 26, 2008 (WAM) - Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, flagged off Saturday second Airbus A380 superjumbo, bringing its all wide-bodied aircraft fleet to 122, inclusive of freighters. He was briefed by a specialist engineer about the internal components of A380, technical and qualities of the two- decker superjumbo plane.
Sheikh Mohammed expressed his pleasure about the new generation of Airbus A380, describing it as a qualitative shift in boosting Emirates' fleet both in quality and quantity to be ahead of world aviation companies. He greeted HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline Group for his efforts and sustained follow up, as well as updating the fleet to provide comfort to customers in all destinations.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates Executive Vice President, Engineering and Operations, leading a group of Emirates engineers and executives onboard the delivery flight, the double-decked aircraft, explained the qualities of A380, adding that 26 crews, including captain and assistant operate in the plane.
Designed to transport passengers on long-range journeys in unmatched comfort, Emirates' second A380 will join its sibling, the airline's first A380 delivered in July, on the Dubai-New York JFK non-stop service (EK201/202). This increases Emirates' A380 service on the route to once-a-day from Sunday. Emirates operates two flights a day to New York JFK, the second daily service using a Boeing 777-300ER. – Emirates News Agency, WAM