Emirates' A380s now flying to South Africa

"Emirates is proud to announce the arrival of the A380 in Johannesburg, its first destination in Africa. Our expansion into Africa demonstrates our commitment to support emerging economies and this is further supported by the announcement of the 20th and 21st African destinations to Harare and Lusaka," said Jean-Luc Grillet, Emirates senior vice-president commercial operations, Africa. "We foresee that the increased capacity offered by the A380 will support an already thriving trade relationship between South Africa and the UAE, worth around USD1.8 billion a year."

Vuwani Ndwamato, director: air transport at the Department of Transport said: "Our world-class infrastructure investment in O R Tambo International Airport is integral to the continued economic growth of Johannesburg, the main passenger and freight gateway into Africa. The introduction of the Emirates A380 exemplifies Johannesburg's efforts to build a world-class city and stimulate investment to position South Africa as a major player in the global economy."

Unparalleled levels of comfort

"The touchdown of our A380 demonstrates Emirates' commitment to serving the South African market and we anticipate very strong demand from leisure and business travellers, both in South Africa and the rest of the continent, keen to experience its unique features and unparalleled levels of comfort," said Fouad Caunhye, Emirates regional manager, South Africa.

The 489-seat A380 is one of a kind, known for its benefits to the environment as much as its state-of-the-art onboard facilities and technological advancements. The aircraft's light yet strong structure burns up to 20 percent less fuel per seat than other large, modern aeroplanes. This low fuel burn means lower CO2 emissions.

Once on board, passengers will experience:

• Fourteen flat-bed, massage-equipped Private Suites and onboard shower spas, ensuring that First Class passengers arrive at their destination revitalised and refreshed
  
• An onboard lounge, featuring a fully stocked bar and a selection of hot and cold canapés where First and Business Class passengers can unwind
  
• Seats in Business Class that convert to flat beds up to 79 inches (two metres) long, whilst those travelling in Economy Class can stretch out in seats with a pitch of up to 33 inches
  
• Passengers in all classes can enjoy Emirates' ICE (Information, Communication, Entertainment) Digital Widescreen in-flight entertainment system, which features over 1200 channels of on-demand entertainment, including Chinese movies, music and hundreds of Hollywood films.

The A380 service will operate daily as EK761, departing Dubai at 4.40am (local time) and arriving at OR Tambo International Airport at 10.50am (local). The return flight, EK762, departs Johannesburg at 2.10pm (local) and arrives in Dubai at 00.10am (local) the following day.

The arrival time of the A380 in Dubai will offer passengers from South Africa convenient connections to an extensive range of destinations within Europe, the Middle and Far East.