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On Tuesday afternoon, on a Dubai runway, a brand-spanking new A380 airbus touched down in a wisp of dust and spent rubber.
The superjumbo's arrival signals the advent of a new era in aviation history in Dubai. The plane is the first to arrive from an initial order of 58.
The giant plane will enter service on Friday, linking Dubai with New York, making Emirates the first airline to fly the next-generation jet commercially in the United States. It's an exciting development for the company, for Dubai and for all who avail of aviation services. The double-decker aircraft features a luxurious and spacious cabin with 14 first-class suites, 76 business and 399 economy-class seats. The aircraft even includes a shower and spa service for first class passengers.
As Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, noted in Hamburg on Monday, the A380 will become "one of the pillars of Emirates's future".
The Airbus A380 programme has suffered from delivery delays and cost overruns. According to Emirates's delivery schedule, four more of the giant planes are due by April. Judging by the new level of quality and luxury for passengers, it's a wait that's been worthwhile.
There may be turbulence for the global airline industry as a whole; it's smooth flying for Emirates.
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