Emirates made history yesterday (16 April) by bringing its Airbus A380 to Glasgow Airport – launching the first regular service of the iconic aircraft to Scotland.
The aircraft touched down on Glaswegian soil at 19:34h (local time). The aircraft is the world’s largest passenger aircraft, with a wingspan of 79.8 metres.
To prepare to receive the A380 on a regular basis, Glasgow Airport has invested significantly to upgrade its infrastructure, as the aircraft can weigh up to 575 tonnes.
The arrival of the A380 marks a new daily service between Glasgow and Dubai that will run from 16 April until 30 September 2019. Thereafter, the service will revert to a twice daily Boeing 777 operation.
While an A380 aircraft has touched down in Scotland before, this is the first time in history an A380 has been in regular service to Scotland.
In addition to transporting passengers, Emirates’ SkyCargo on the A380 will carry key Glaswegian exports across the world, including Scottish whisky, salmon, cheese, chocolate and oil well equipment.
The airline said the most popular destinations for Scottish salmon, shellfish and oysters include China and Hong Kong, while Scottish whisky is most frequently exported to South Africa, Singapore, Sydney and Korea.
