Emirates to add A380 to non-stop Dubai-Auckland route

Emirates is to operate its daily non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland with an A380 aircraft, less than a year after operating the flights with a Boeing 777-200LR.
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Emirates’ flagship double-decker A380s will operate on the route, currently the world’s longest, from 30 October. The airline has been flying the route since March 1, in addition to three daily A380s flying from Auckland to Dubai and beyond via Australia, and a daily Boeing 777-300ER from Christchurch. 

Operating eastbound as flight EK448, the service will depart Dubai at 10:05am and arrive in Auckland the following day at 11:10am (local time). Westbound, flight EK449 will depart Auckland each night at 9:15pm, arriving in Dubai the following morning at 5:35am (local time) connecting with Emirates’ 39 European destinations, as well as other destinations in West Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This flight also connects in both directions with 10 A380 destinations, providing passengers the opportunity to fly all the way from Auckland to Europe on Emirates’ flagship aircraft.

The very first flight from Dubai to Auckland and return at the beginning of March was operated by an A380 to especially commemorate the start of the non-stop route, but the flights have since been flown by the Boeing 777-200LR.