Emirates has announced the inaugural flight of its A350-900 aircraft, set to commence on September 15, 2024, with a daily roundtrip service to Bahrain International, marking the start of a broader rollout of the new aircraft type across its network. The next day, the airline will extend A350 service to include flights to Kuwait. By the end of the year, Emirates plans to operate the A350 to destinations including three Gulf airports, three South Asian airports, and three European airports.
In a detailed rollout schedule revealed on May 6, Emirates provided insights into the forthcoming services:
- Dubai to Mumbai International will see A350 service starting October 27 (Flights EK502/503).
- The Dubai-Ahmedabad route will also begin A350 flights on October 27 (Flights EK538/539).
- Service to Edinburgh will start on November 4 (Flights EK23/24).
- Dubai to Muscat transitions to A350 service from December 1 (Flights EK866/867).
- A350 flights will commence to Lyon St. Exupéry and Bologna on December 1 (Flights EK81/82 and EK93/94, respectively).
- The Dubai-Colombo International route will feature A350 operations starting January 1 (Flights EK654/655).
Emirates CCO Adnan Kazim expressed enthusiasm about the new aircraft, stating, “The A350 will be a game-changer for Emirates, enabling us to serve regional points with superior operating efficiency and flexibility across the Middle East and the Gulf, West Asia, and Europe.” He highlighted the significance of quickly deploying the A350 to nine cities, enhancing premium cabin offerings and giving customers more choices across different geographies, thus maintaining Emirates’ competitive edge.
With sixty-five A350-900s ordered, Emirates expects to have ten of these aircraft operational by the end of March 2025, all designated for short and medium-haul routes. The airline also noted that it would announce additional A350 destinations in the coming months as more aircraft join its fleet, with all ordered A350s expected to be in Dubai by the end of 2028.
