Emirates prepares to launch its luxury A380

THERE’S a sense of excitement as Emirates gets set to launch its new A380 aircraft, writes Brian Crisp.

Emirates’ new A380.

ANNA-LIISA Pearson is from Carindale. She will be part of the team flying the new Emirates A380 out of Brisbane.

How long have you been in the cabin crew?

AP: I began my career with Emirates in 2006 when I was 21. The last seven years have really flown by.

Why did you want to become an Emirates cabin crew member?

AP: From a young age, the opportunity to embrace different cultures, create new friendships and to see parts of the world I had only ever read about, really excited me. I particularly wanted to gain international airline experience and immediately, I thought of Emirates. From time to time I used to see the Emirates cabin crew at the Brisbane International terminal and think how wonderful it would be to be a part of the Emirates family. Then, when the opportunity came along, I just jumped in.

What’s the best part of the job?

AP: There’s more than one! The travel is the obvious one – experiencing new destinations and cultures across Emirates’ worldwide network. But for me, a big perk of the job has to be living in Dubai, surrounded by a melting pot of cultures and like-minded expats. The friends I’ve made living in Dubai will be friends for life.

Will you be able to make more trips to Brisbane now?

AP: I hope so. As an A380-trained crew member, I’m lucky enough to find myself rostered on to Australian services quite often, meaning I can catch up with friends and family up and down the east coast and also in New Zealand. Emirates already flies the A380 twice a day to Sydney and once a day to Melbourne. One of those Sydney flights goes across to Auckland, as does the Melbourne service, and so too will Brisbane’s A380 from October 2.

What will the A380 offer Queenslanders?

AP: For the very first time, Queenslanders will be able to experience the aircraft. We like to think the A380 is revolutionising air travel. The perks in Business and First Class are second to none, such as the onboard lounge and the industry’s only onboard shower spas. And across all the cabins, passengers get to choose from up to 1500 channels of entertainment, together with the ability to call, text and email their friends on the ground.

The whole experience is seamless from start to finish. Once you reach Dubai, passengers get to explore the world’s first and only purpose-built A380 terminal, known as Concourse A. From there, they can transit to more than 20 A380 destinations around the world.

The shower aboard the new Emirates A380.

Why is the A380 the best aircraft?

AP: It’s not just about size; the Emirates A380 is ultra-modern. It’s known for its quietness and fuel efficiency, burning up to 20 per cent less fuel than today’s next largest aircraft.

It’s like no other, and crew are really proud to be able to work onboard. As you progress through your career with Emirates, the top position has got to be First Class on the A380 – it’s what many of us are striving towards.

What is it like working on the A380?

AP: Big! And also really fun. There’s a buzz in the air, a lot of passengers are usually pretty excited to experience the double-decker. There’s also a real sense of camaraderie among the flight deck and crew.

Why should people experience the A380?

AP: It’s a new direction in air travel. You’ll hardly even hear the aircraft, you’ll experience some of the best and newest amenities onboard, and the service is exceptional.

There’s a reason Emirates was crowned World’s Best Airline for 2013 by Skytrax.

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