Emirates plans to use its new Airbus A350 jets to serve ultra-long-haul destinations in the US, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand – all up to 15 hours of flying time from Dubai – following the initial launch of the wide-body jets on mainly regional routes.
The first batch of deliveries – with a capacity of 312 seats and expected in August through to mid-2025 – will be used on short to medium-haul routes in the Middle East, the GCC, West Asia and Europe.
The A350 aircraft in the second phase of deliveries will be used on new and existing “midsized” markets with ultra-long haul range such as Adelaide in Australia, Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer of Emirates, told The National.
The move will replace the bigger Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s currently on these routes, freeing them up to serve demand on destinations that require larger capacity.
The A350 has the right size and range to meet demand on those routes, Mr Kazim said, adding that its fuel efficiency and capacity “will help us really get the optimal fit in the ultra-long haul domain because the demand is not yet fit for the 777-ERs or a bigger gauge”.
“[These routes] fit quite well for medium-size aircraft and you don't have first-class demand, so it fits well because the A350 is [configured for] Business, Premium Economy and Economy class. It gives you the right economics,” he said.
Emirates has 65 Airbus A350-900 aircraft on order that will be delivered starting in August and through to the next three and half years. The aircraft type can accommodate 300-350 passengers in a standard three-class configuration, and flies efficiently on everything from short-range segments to ultra-long-range routes of up to 18,000km non-stop.
The first of these will enter service on September 15 and its first destination will be Bahrain, Emirates said last week. With 10 new A350s expected to join the Emirates fleet by the end of March 2025, the airline plans to operate its latest aircraft model on nine regional destinations in the coming months.
Emirates will operate its A350 jets to Kuwait, from September 16, and to Muscat from December 1.
Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, is returning to the Emirates network with the launch of the A350, with flights starting from November 4.
Other European destinations set to welcome the wide-body this year include Bologna and Lyon. In West Asia, Emirates will launch A350 flights to Mumbai and Ahmedabad in October, and to Sri Lanka's Colombo in January.
“All these kinds of places will give you that required fit between the demand and the capacity and the aircraft efficiency that brings in route profitability,” Mr Kazim said.
Emirates is introducing the three-class A350 aircraft model for the first time to its fleet. The airline is currently the biggest operator of Boeing 777 wide-bodies and Airbus A380 double-deckers globally.
'Confident' about consumer demand
Emirates is “confident” about robust passenger demand to fill its A350s on the announced routes, Mr Kazim said.
The smaller capacity of the A350, compared to the bigger aircraft deployed on these routes, makes it “easier” to meet the market demand on these existing markets, he said.
“They are all being deployed into mature markets,” he said. “We're quite confident that the consumer will be well-receiving it, in terms of the product and in terms of the efficiency.”
On-time deliveries
Emirates has received assurances that Airbus will deliver its A350 aircraft on time in August, amid industry concerns about delayed jet handovers by plane makers.
“We have got already the confirmation from the manufacturer that there won't be any delay ... we're getting them on time and no disruption is coming,” Mr Kazim said.
“That gave us comfort to announce the routes with a firm timeline. We need to look at the two manufacturers as strategic partners. You need to live with them and work with them.”
However, he acknowledged the challenges of dealing with Airbus and Boeing's duopoly in aircraft manufacturing.
“Yes we're frustrated, we're not getting the right traction sometimes from some of them but that's the engagement that we have to go through. There is dependency and they are the only two manufacturers to deliver aircraft,” he said.
Emirates is “doing a lot of work” and “tweaking” its seat capacity to “minimise the impact on our business model” through its aircraft retrofit programme that will keep older jets in service for longer, he said.
The cabin upgrades come as Airbus has stopped making the A380 superjumbos and as Boeing lags years behind in the debut of its new 777X wide-bodies that Emirates has on order.
Emirates Airline's chairman, Flydubai's chief executive and Etihad Airways' boss last week all voiced their concerns about the delays during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
More A380s in the skies
Emirates currently has 88 of its Airbus A380s in the sky, out of a fleet of 116 superjumbos. The remaining A380s are either in heavy maintenance checks after being grounded during Covid-19 or undergoing the retrofitting before being returned to service.
“As we progress towards the end of the [current] financial year, the number of A380s will increase to 95 aircraft actively up in the sky,” Mr Kazim said. The airline's financial year begins on April 1.
The airline is inching closer to operating its full fleet of 116 double-deckers during its next financial year that begins in April 2025.
“We're gradually getting close to almost full deployment of the A380s ... we're hoping by the next financial year to be in full deployment of the A380s,” Mr Kazim said.
Emirates is investing in the retrofit of its A380s to keep them as part of the core fleet up until 2037, he said.
The airline is working closely with its suppliers to secure the necessary parts for the A380s to remain in operation and has a “stable” supply chain, Mr Kazim said.
Airline industry chiefs globally have voiced concerns about a shortage in aircraft and engine spare parts as the aerospace industry grapples with supply chain problems since the pandemic started.
Troubled US plane maker Boeing in the past week has faced a spate of problems with its aircraft, with the most recent incidents in Turkey and Senegal.
Last Thursday, a Boeing 737-300 skidded off a runway in Senegal, leading to 11 injuries, including four that were serious.
That followed an incident on Wednesday in Istanbul in which a Boeing 767 cargo plane belonging to FedEx landed on its nose after its front landing gear failed.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Racecard
5.25pm: Etihad Museum – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m
6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
6.35pm: Poet Al Oqaili – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
7.10pm: Majlis Ghurfat Al Sheif – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
7.45pm: Hatta – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
WITHIN%20SAND
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
