Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, marking the first commercial flight to the South Indian city’s airport of the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

The special service from Dubai to Bengaluru, operating as EK562 and greeted with a procession of follow-me vehicles, arrived ahead of the launch of scheduled A380 services which will commence on 30 October.

Emirates flight EK562 took off yesterday from Dubai International Airport at 10:00 am and landed in Bengaluru at 15:40 pm local time, and was welcomed by Kempegowda International Airport, in the presence of aviation fans, media and special guests representing the aviation and travel industries and diplomatic missions, amongst others.

At the welcome reception in Bengaluru, the flight carrying 224 passengers was greeted by S.T. Somashekar Gowda, Minister of Cooperation, Government of Karnataka; H.E. Dr Ahmed Abdel Rahman AlBanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India; Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); and Mohammed Sarhan, Emirates’ Vice President – India and Nepal.

Emirates executives onboard included Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer and Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – West Asia and Indian Ocean. 

Celebrating the joint milestone for Emirates and the airport, a VIP delegation of guests onboard the A380 service included: GMJ Thampy, Chairman & MD at Riya Travels; Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO at EFS Facilities Services Group; Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director at Al Rais Travel; Aubrey Heldt, General Manager at Kanoo Travel; Sachin Gadoya, Co-Founder & CEO at Musafir; Sai Rattan, Manager at SNTTA; Prakash Punjabi, Manager at Travel Centre; Noura Al Marzouqi, Head, Booking & Visitors services section at ADNOC; and Azza Al Remeithi, Supervisor, Booking Services at ADNOC.

Commending Emirates for introducing the iconic aircraft to Bengaluru, Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at BIAL said, “Bengaluru has become the first city in South India to be served by Emirates’ flagship A380 services. The arrival of this wide-body aircraft today shows the operational capability and rising passenger demand at BLR Airport. The enhanced premium experience that the new A380 service brings to the Dubai-Bengaluru route will not only meet the strong travel demand but also help to stimulate traffic between the two markets.”

Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates, said: “The special relationship that we share with Bengaluru and the State of Karnataka is one of mutual growth and prosperity and we are delighted to introduce A380 services to this vital gateway for travellers in South India. Today’s flight is testament to the fruitful relationship that we share with the city and we look forward to providing the flagship experience across all cabins, for travellers travelling to and from Bengaluru, when we begin our scheduled daily A380 services later this month.

“India is a vast market with high demand for our services to destinations across our network, and we are especially pleased to extend our A380 offering to include an additional point in the country.”

Following the symbolic welcome ceremony, Emirates cabin crew showcased the interiors of its latest four-class A380 aircraft, featuring Premium Economy, to government officials and guests. When Emirates commences the scheduled A380 services from 30 October, the airline will operate its three-class flagship A380 aircraft on the route, featuring its impeccable First Class service with signature amenities such as the Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, Business Class cabins providing superior levels of comfort and privacy, and spacious seats in Economy Class.

Emirates’ new A380 service to Bengaluru

Travellers to and from Bengaluru will be able to travel on the Emirates A380 to enjoy the aircraft’s signature offerings across a broader network. Emirates launched its first A380 service in India on the Dubai-Mumbai route in 2014 and Bengaluru will become the second city in India to be served by the iconic aircraft.

Starting on 30 October, Emirates’ A380 flights between Dubai and Bengaluru will operate as EK568 and EK569. The daily flight leaves the airline’s hub at 21:25hrs, arriving in Bengaluru at 02:30hrs local time the next day. The return flight departs Kempegowda International Airport at 04:30hrs, arriving in Dubai at 07:10hrs (local time). Emirates also operates two additional daily flights utilising its other widebody aircraft, the Boeing 777.

Currently, Emirates operates the A380 to over 30 destinations across the globe and plans to deploy the popular aircraft to over 40 destinations by March 2023. 

A long-time favourite amongst travel enthusiasts, the Emirates A380 is loved for its extra legroom. The champagne-coloured seats in premium cabins offer direct aisle access for every passenger, recline to a fully flat position, and offer personal minibars, ample personal storage, and a high degree of privacy. Customers also enjoy the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice, with over 5,000 channels of content, via the industry’s largest screens across all cabins.

Emirates began operations to India in 1985 with its scheduled services to Mumbai and Delhi and has been serving customers in Bengaluru with its award-winning services since 2006. Emirates provides access to nine points in India, with customers enjoying seamless connectivity to its global network, with over 130 destinations currently.