Emirates

[BHXsupporter]

Re: Emirates A380 air bridge

Two excellent photos of progress this week on http://bhxflightguide.blogspot.co.uk/
It makes me appreciate just how large the A380 is!

 

[Ray Finkle]

That picture sure puts the size of the A380 into context.

 

[Brum X]

A380 airbridge construction

A great little video. BHX looking BIG :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtr8qNDGqWY

 

[nwoody2001]

indeed, its a biggy, but then the A380 is the biggest pax jet in the sky. I hear from another thread that now an emirates A388 is coming from DXB to BHX on the 23rd Mar for testing, and not on the 24th as from hamburg as originally anticipated, or is this old news?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Not old news. I don't think the date change has been reported :smile:

There were suggestions that it was to be an Airbus A380 but it seems that it will be an Emirates one after all.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I hear from another thread that now an emirates A388 is coming from DXB to BHX on the 23rd Mar for testing, and not on the 24th as from hamburg as originally anticipated, or is this old news?

I've also seen this reported on another forum and can't work out if it's leaving Dubai on 23/3 and will arrive at BHX on the 23/3 or 24/3.
Also, I'm assuming that it's not operating one of the scheduled services which would give a good chance of seeing an EK777 and EKA380 on the ground at the same time.
I would expect it to be present for a good few hours to carry out tests, possibly including taxi trials (I think I read somewhere that extra 'fillets' had been added to some taxiway turns).

Kevin

 

[thunderchild]

Just my luck if it is the 23rd as I'm flying out on the 24th!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Apparently it's due to be in from 10:00 until 17:00 (subject to change I guess) and along with air bridge testing there is to be a VIP/press walk round event.

 

[David_itl]

Well that's slightly more impressive than what happened here in MAN. Zero landings, gate 12 on pier A prepped up and they went straight into daily ops and if it went badly, oh dear!

 

[nwoody2001]

but then MAN doesn't have a double decker gate which is newly installed...

 

[User001]

I think you'll find MAN did have a newly installed double decker gate specially installed for the A380 without prior testing, and there probably won't be any testing when MAN builds several new gates for the A380 in he next few years.

You'll find David's comment wasn't a slight on BHX, in fact, probably more of a compliment that BHX seems to want to make sure it gets it right with testing and not go straight into operations with no testing and potentially go wrong like MAN (thankfully it didn't go wrong though).

 

[jfy1999]

Is there a chance that during the low season Emirates might use a 3-class A380 with first class sealed off, as they currently do with their 777s? Nearly all the A380s they have right now are 3-class aircraft, and I suppose the situation will be pretty much the same in a months time, so for a while there might be an issue with available aircraft...

 

[Brummiegem]

jfy1999,i'd say it will be probably likely.
As you say aircraft availability may be an issue from time to time.Also EK use 3 class 777s on occasions for operational and other reasons,so I don't see it being any different for A380 Ops.
I suspect we may also see B777s subbing for A380s from time to time as well.
EK if anything are very flexible.

 

[nwoody2001]

I think you'll find MAN did have a newly installed double decker gate specially installed for the A380 without prior testing, and there probably won't be any testing when MAN builds several new gates for the A380 in he next few years.

You'll find David's comment wasn't a slight on BHX, in fact, probably more of a compliment that BHX seems to want to make sure it gets it right with testing and not go straight into operations with no testing and potentially go wrong like MAN (thankfully it didn't go wrong though).

Relax, I didn't see Davids comments as an attack or dig, and my response wasn't intended as such either. I was under the impression that MAN didn't have a double deck air bridge and as such was just pointing out why there may have been the need for this testing flight.

 

[Brum X]

Just so you know woody, MAN does have a double airbridge but has x 2 bridges,not x 3.
Here is a fab photo of the exact stand the EK A380 uses at MAN

 

[thunderchild]

Money well spent investing in a third jetbridge for the A380 gate - it'll certainly make life easier for all concerned when it comes to boarding 600+ passengers.

 

[Ray Finkle]

In case there is still any confusion the airport have confirmed via Twitter that the A380 test flight is to be on the 23rd.

Sorry thunderchild

 

[thunderchild]

Just my luck! Flying out again in June so should catch it then.

 

[IanFarquharson]

2034 pax on Friday's 6 EK flights

 

[nwoody2001]

a nice 81% average LF!!!!

But yet again, the same patterns continues...

Morning flight 50-60% LF (not bad for being less than 6 months old)
Lunchtime flight 85-90% LF (soon to be upgraded to A388)
Evening flight 100% LF (full to bursting point!!!!)

Whilst the morning flight is not full, its still carrying a decent amount. However, it has done little to dilute the loads on the other 2 flights. Now I appreciate that with the inclusion of the A388 (or another 400 seats daily) and Qatar (or another 520 seats daily) this might well change, but if not, is it beyond the possibility that the evening flight could also be upgraded to an A388 in the future???

An interesting thought just realised though, with the addition of the Qatar 788 and EK 388, that's a daily increase of over 900 seats a day... more than an additional 4th daily 2 class 773 between BHX and the middle east!!!