Agents in Scotland have hailed the return of Emirates’ A380 to Glasgow after a more than three-year hiatus.
Touching down in Glasgow at 12.45pm on Sunday (26 March), the aircraft has been refurbished as part of the carrier’s $2 billion retrofit programme.
LAH Travel owner Linda Hill Miller told TTG the A380 was “such a fabulous aircraft to have in Scotland”.
“Bringing it back to Glasgow for the season just proves Emirates’ commitment to the industry,” she said. “And they [Emirates] need it because the flights are full.”
Emirates said it had decided to reinstate the A380, after halting operations for almost four years, due to a surge in demand for its Glasgow-Dubai service.
“We’re continuing to see very high levels of demand both out of the Scottish market but also, as we move into the summer, more inbound visitors are also utilising the route,” divisional vice-president Richard Jewsbury told TTG.
Agents said they expected the A380’s return to help lower prices, making it more affordable for their clients to fly from their local airport.
“Hopefully some of the fares will come down, because they have gone up quite a bit,” said Thorne Travel director Shona Thorne.
Agents have also praised the A380’s high-end service, with the 517-passenger aircraft featuring 14 private suites, as well as 76 flat-bed seats in business-class and 427 seats in economy. First-class customers will also be able to take advantage of the aircraft’s two shower spas.
“The A380’s return means we have got a more premium product to sell in the Scottish market,” added Scott Murray, managing director of Murray Travel.
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