Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has announced it will soon launch a second daily A380 service to Zurich.
The service will begin from October 1, 2015 and will add a further 945 seats a week on the route, with 280 seats in first and business class.
From October 1, 2015, Emirates flight EK85/86 which is currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER will be upgraded to an A380.
The first A380 was introduced on the route in January 2014, and Emirates now offers the wide-body aircraft on over 35 routes across the globe.
“We anticipate that adding a second daily A380 to Zurich will not only enhance the travel experience of our passengers, but also stimulate trade and tourism between Switzerland, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East," said Hubert Frach, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president, Commercial Operations West.
The additional A380 service to Zurich departs Dubai International Airport at 15:45pm, arriving into Zurich at 20:20pm while the return flight departs Zurich at 22:15pm, arriving into Dubai at 06:25am the following day.
“We are pleased that Emirates decided to operate a second daily A380 to Zurich. It shows a clear commitment to the Swiss market. It also underlines the attractiveness of Zurich Airport, the hub in the heart of Europe,” said Stefan Conrad, COO of Zurich Airport.
Over 345,000 passengers have flown Emirate’s flagship aircraft to and from Zurich, and passengers have the option to fly the A380 all the way to destinations such as Mauritius, Bangkok, Shanghai, Sydney or Hong Kong, with just one stop in Dubai.
Each Emirates A380 offers an onboard lounge on the upper deck for premium class passengers, while first class passengers also have two onboard shower spas. Passengers across all cabins have access to high speed Wi-Fi on the flight and 1,600 channels of ice, Emirates’ in-flight entertainment system.
The airline has been operating the jumbo jet for just over five years, and currently has 59 of the aircraft in fleet.