Dubai's national carrier Emirates celebrated the milestone delivery of its 100th Airbus A380 aircraft during a special ceremony with Airbus at the manufacturer’s delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany.

Powered by Rolls-Royce engines, Emirates’ 100th A380 is configured in three cabin classes, with 14 private suites in First class, 76 seats in Business and 426 seats in Economy.

It also features the airline’s newly revamped Onboard Lounge. It will be on display at the upcoming Dubai Air Show and will enter service afterwards, said a statement from Emirates.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chief executive of Emirates Group, officiated at the ceremony, it stated.

He was joined at the event by Sir Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline; Tom Enders, chief executive officer of Airbus; Dominic Horwood, Rolls-Royce, the director for customer and services; Ali Al Ahmed, UAE Ambassador to Germany and Frank Horch, the senator for Economy, Transport and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

On the key milestone, Sheikh Ahmed said: "This is a tremendous moment for Emirates, for Airbus and for our many partners involved in the A380 programme. There is no doubt that the A380 has had a big positive impact on aerospace manufacturing and the broader aviation industry, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and stimulating innovation and new product development in many related areas such as ground handling, catering, airport facilities and cabin products, to name a few."

"Importantly, the A380 also brought the flying experience for our customers to the next level. The aircraft itself is a showpiece of engineering. It is the world’s largest commercial passenger jet but it is quiet and efficient and at Emirates, we have utilised the onboard real estate to redefine the thinking around in-flight products and experience. Our flight crew love to fly it and our customers love to fly in it," he added.

Sheikh Ahmed pointed out that for Emirates, the A380 had been a success. "We have been able to utilise it at slot-constrained airports, as well as at regional and ‘secondary’ airports where we have increased the passenger demand. Each time we deploy an A380 onto a route, it typically stimulates further traffic and demand as travellers are attracted by our flagship A380 experience," he remarked.
 
"We remain committed to the programme and will work closely with Airbus and our partners to continually enhance our A380 product as we look ahead to receiving our remaining 42 aircraft on order," he added.

Enders said Airbus was extremely proud of its long-standing relationship with Emirates – a partnership that has been integral to the A380 programme.

"It is a source of immense satisfaction for everyone at Airbus that such a visionary airline has believed in the A380 from the beginning and chosen it as its flagship and the backbone of its operations. And, of course, it is always exciting to hear positive feedback from our customers and passengers about the aircraft, while associating it with Dubai’s success as the world’s most dynamic air transport hub," he added.

Horwood said Rolls-Royce was proud to be powering the Emirates' 100th Airbus A380 and looked forward to building on its strong relationship in years to come.

Adding to the celebrations, Emirates unveiled a special tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the UAE, with the bespoke livery for its 100th A380.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "2018 is the "Year of Zayed", marking 100 years since the birth of our country’s founding father and celebrating his legacy. Emirates is proud to launch our tribute to the man who has been instrumental in the UAE’s formation and development, with the milestone delivery of our 100th A380."

"Just as the A380 has broken new ground in so many regards, Sheikh Zayed was a true pioneer and visionary. Bringing his message of inspiration, daring and determination to the world as we fly the A380 around the globe, is an apt way to celebrate his amazing legacy," he added.-TradeArabia News Service