Emirates expects early delivery of first A380 plane

05 December 2007
Emirates Airline has said it expects to receive delivery of its first Airbus A380 in June 2008, slightly ahead of schedule.

Maurice Flanagan, executive vice-chairman at the airline, and the Emirates Group, made the announcement at a conference in London that the carrier’s first superjumbo will be in service by October 2008.

Emirates is the world’s largest purchaser of the A380 with 58 now on order after a further three were acquired at the recent Dubai Airshow (MEED 13:11:2007). Delivery schedules of the aircraft have been hit hard by problems at Airbus with the plane’s electrical systems, leading to 18-month delays in production.

Emirates had been expecting to receive its first delivery of the aircraft in August 2008.

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