Emiratesreplaced its A380 services with smaller Boeing 777s in 2018 and the aircraft’s appearance above Brisbane have been sporadic since.
The UAE-based airline remains the only one to have had regular A380 services in Brisbane and,with Airbus scrapping production of the superjumbos,that was unlikely to change in the near future.
The reinstatement of the double-decker A380s,which can seat up to 516 passengers,will,according to Emirates,add about 3000 seats a week to and from Brisbane.
“Since late last year,we have been busy quickly adapting our operations and boosting capacity in response to demand arising from the reopening of our borders,” Emirates divisional vice-president for Australasia Barry Brown said.
“As part of our unrelenting commitment to the country we have been determined to return to normalcy,where possible,as the travel industry recovers from the pandemic.”
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said it was a “sign of confidence” that the state’s international tourism sector was open for business.
“Emirates,as one of the major global players,is a very good indication of where the aviation opportunities lie and for them to express such confidence in Australia,is certainly a good sign,” he said.