Emirates’ winter 2024 flight plan: Key details on the 615-seat Airbus A380 deployment | World News – Times of India

As the winter season approaches, Emirates and other northern airlines are set to transition to their winter schedules on October 27. This change, based on IATA slot seasons, will see Emirates’ extensive use of its 615-seat Airbus A380s. While detailed winter plans are yet to be finalised, here’s a snapshot of Emirates’ A380 deployment as of August 30.

Emirates’ A380 configurations: A diverse fleet

Emirates operates its 615-seat A380s in seven different configurations, potentially the most diverse of any airline globally.The variations in seating are primarily within the economy class, with the two-class 615-seat layout being notably different. This configuration, introduced in 2015, eliminates first class to add more economy seats, resulting in a capacity of 615. This layout includes 557 economy seats, surpassing the total seat count of other configurations and other airlines’ A380s.

Winter deployment: High-volume routes for the 615-seater

For the winter period from October 27, 2024, to March 29, 2025, Emirates will deploy its 615-seat A380s on 12 routes between November and February. The focus is on high-volume, leisure-driven markets, with these aircraft frequently servicing destinations with lower premium demand.
Here’s a breakdown of the 615-seat A380 flights:

Key routes and aircraft utilisation

During the four-month period, nearly 1,400 flights with the 615-seat configuration will depart from Dubai International. Bangkok, London Gatwick, and Manchester will see the highest frequency of these aircraft, accounting for more than half of the services on these routes.
The 615-seat A380 configuration is not uniformly applied across all flights on these routes but is favoured for markets where first-class demand is lower. Taipei is the closest to having an all-615-seat operation, with over 90% of flights using this configuration.

Future developments and current trends

Notably, Bali Denpasar will see a record number of double daily flights with the 615-seat A380 starting from September 1, 2024. While this falls outside the examined period, it signifies Emirates’ commitment to increasing capacity on this route. The 615-seat A380 will also coexist with non-first-class Boeing 777-300ERs during this winter, with the previous use of first-class-equipped A380s and 777s to Bali suggesting a strategic shift.