Emirates chooses Adelaide Airport for its first new generation long-range A350
In another triumph for Adelaide Airport and the state’s tourism industry, a huge international airline has chosen Adelaide as the first route in the world for its new generation aircraft.
SA News
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Adelaide will be the first city in the world to be serviced by Emirates’ new generation long-range Airbus A350, which comes with a Premium Economy cabin.
The aircraft will begin services on December 1, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR which now fly the Adelaide-Dubai route.
Emirates’ first short and medium haul A350s entered service from January 2025, but Adelaide will become the first city in the Emirates network to receive the long-range version.
The Emirates Airbus A350-900ULR can stay in the air for over 15 hours non-stop, with a range exceeding 14,000km.
Emirates resumed daily flights to Adelaide last October after pausing in 2020 when the pandemic hit.
The A350 aircraft features three cabin classes accommodating 298 passengers.
This is made up of 32 Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 Economy Class seats.
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison hailed the decision as a win for South Australia.
“Emirates has been an incredible shot in the arm for our State’s economy, both for tourism and trade, so it is wonderful to see the international airline continue to invest in the route by launching the A350 in December,” she said.
“This investment from an international carrier is an incredible display of confidence in South Australia and its continual growth.
“The daily direct non-stop Emirates flights are generating more than $62m per year in tourism expenditure for South Australia, and now the flight is even more attractive to potential international visitors thinking about coming here.”
Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox said: “We’re excited that Emirates has chosen Adelaide as its first global destination to welcome the new Airbus A350-900ULR, offering more seats, more cabin choice and longer range than the current Boeing 777-200LR.
“The introduction of Premium Economy seats is a significant upgrade and we think will prove very popular with South Australian travellers.
“These new generation aircraft are a game changer because they are ideally suited for connecting Adelaide with cities around the globe due to their size and range.”
Divisional Vice President Australasia at Emirates, Barry Brown, said the airline was introducing the latest cutting-edge products in every Australian city it serves and puts Australia at the forefront of Emirates’ US$5bn aircraft retrofit program.
“The A350’s arrival to Adelaide has been highly anticipated and earmarked for some time,” he said.
“Deploying our first long-range A350 to Adelaide underscores our commitment to South Australia and providing travellers with an unparalleled travel experience.”
The most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft in commercial service today, Emirates says the A350 also offers the quietest twin-aisle cabin of any aircraft.
Emirates’ flights depart Dubai at 2.05am, arriving in Adelaide at 8.05pm, and depart Adelaide at 9.50pm arriving in Dubai at 5.30am.
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