Adelaide has welcomed the arrival of Emirates' first ultra-long-range A350 overnight, making it the first city in Emirates' global network to receive the new aircraft.
As well as a global first, it marks the introduction of Emirates new Premium Economy cabin to Adelaide and signals another vote of confidence in the State's tourism and trade industries.
The debut of the new Emirates ultra-long-range A350 strengthens the State's access to key international markets, with connections to 140 destinations worldwide.
The daily direct non-stop flights have been estimated to generate more than $62 million per year in visitor expenditure for South Australia and $98 million in freight exports.
Operating on EK440/441 services, the Airbus A350-900ULR has replaced the Boeing 777-200LR. Emirates' flight EK440 departs from Dubai at 02:00hrs, arriving in Adelaide at 20:50hrs. The return flight EK441 departs Adelaide at 22:50hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:20hrs the next day. All times are local.
The new Emirates Airbus A350-900ULR is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates' fleet since 2008. It can stay in the air for up to 15 hours non-stop, with a range exceeding 14,000 km. It is the most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft in commercial service today and also offers the quietest twin-aisle cabin of any aircraft.
The service will offer 298 seats per flight across three spacious cabins and almost 4,370 weekly seats between Dubai and Adelaide.
The A350 aircraft arrived in Adelaide last night to a traditional water cannon salute and was welcomed by the Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison, Barry Brown Divisional Vice President Australasia Emirates, and Brenton Cox Managing Director Adelaide Airport.
The arrival of the new Emirates A350 into Adelaide follows a spate of major aviation developments for the State. Most recently, this included the resumption of Cathay Pacific direct flights from Hong Kong which completed the re-establishment of all international routes flying into Adelaide before the COVID pandemic.
On 13 December, the inaugural United Airlines flight from San Francisco will arrive into Adelaide - connecting South Australia and the United States with a direct flight for the first time ever.
Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said the arrival of Emirates new ultra-long-range A350 into Adelaide is another major aviation development for tourism in South Australia.
"It makes this flight even more attractive to potential visitors from key global markets, further boosting the more than $62 million that the Emirates' daily direct non-stop flights generate in tourism expenditure in South Australia each year," Minister Bettison said.
"It is exciting that Adelaide has been the city chosen by Emirates to debut its new A350 aircraft and demonstrates the airline's commitment to South Australia and its confidence in tourism and trade in our State.
"There has been a succession of positive aviation developments in South Australia, and it only continues when we welcome the first ever direct connection to the US later this month, when United Airlines arrives in Adelaide from December 13."
Emirates Divisional Vice President Australasia, Barry Brown said this is a landmark moment for Emirates, highlighting Adelaide and South Australia's vital role in our global operations.
"Adelaide proudly becomes the first Australian city to welcome the Emirates A350. With this, our new and highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin debuts in Adelaide, completing the cabin's rollout across all five of Emirates' Australian gateways," Mr Brown said.
"While Emirates has been accepting the delivery of A350s for the past year, this is the first delivery of our long-range variant with the range and capability to fly from Dubai to Adelaide. Adelaide has been earmarked to receive this new aircraft for some time, underscoring our commitment to the South Australian capital.
"These milestones are a powerful statement of our ongoing investment and commitment to bringing our latest generation product to Australia and will provide South Australians with direct access to our most advanced, comfortable seats and an elevated flying experience, offering seamless connections to Europe and beyond for both business and leisure.
"Premium Economy has proven incredibly popular, consistently achieving strong load factors to and from Australia, and we anticipate a similar strong demand in Adelaide for the cabin's quiet luxury and customised experience."
Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox said these new longer-range aircraft are a game changer for Adelaide because of their size and range, which are perfectly suited to the market.
"Emirates has been a strong supporter of ours for more than a decade and this is another show of support for South Australian travellers and visitors to our State," Mr Cox said.
"The brand-new Airbus A350-900ULR is state-of-the-art and offers the latest in technology and comfort, as well as offering more seats, and more cabin choice. The introduction of Premium Economy seats is similarly a significant win for our customers."
