Emirates superjumbo to return to Birmingham Airport in July

Emirates is to bring the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft, back to its daily flights between Dubai and Birmingham from 1 July.

The airline announced the return of the double-decker superjumbo on 13 January. It had used the A380 on its Birmingham route since 2016, but switched to the smaller Boeing 777 during the Covid-19 pandemic because of reduced demand.

A route with a history

Birmingham has a long connection with the A380. When the airport's International Pier opened on 9 September 2009, as part of the airport's 70th anniversary celebrations, the first aircraft to use it was an Emirates A380. That special service was the first commercial A380 flight in the UK outside London Heathrow.

The pier, 240 metres long and 24 metres wide, was designed for the new generation of large wide-bodied aircraft. It has air bridges for seven wide-bodied aircraft and space for 13 smaller ones, with departing passengers on the top level and arrivals on the middle level. It also has a lounge for Emirates business class passengers.

A difficult few years

The return of the A380 is a sign of recovery for an airport that was hit hard by the pandemic. In 2020, a temporary mortuary was set up in a hangar at the airport, with space for 12,000 bodies, as the country prepared for the worst.

The airport also saw the collapse of Flybe, the regional airline that had long operated a large network of domestic and European routes from Birmingham. Flybe first went into administration on 4 March 2020. A new Flybe later restarted flights with Birmingham as its headquarters and main base, but that airline also entered administration and stopped flying in January 2023, shortly after this announcement.

Eighty years of flying

Birmingham's airport opened as Elmdon Airport on 8 July 1939, when the Duchess of Kent officiated at the opening ceremony, accompanied by the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Its original Art Deco terminal, which included the air traffic control tower, was used as a terminal until 1984 and still stands today.

The airport was originally owned and operated by Birmingham City Council, with early services to Croydon, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Southampton, before the Second World War interrupted civilian flying.

What it means for passengers

The A380 carries far more passengers than the 777, so its return will increase capacity on one of Birmingham's most important long-haul routes. Dubai is a major hub for connecting flights to Asia, Australia and Africa, making the route a gateway for travellers from across the region.

The first A380 service is due to operate on 1 July, in time for the busy summer season.