USHERING IN a new ‘superjumbo’ era, Emirates’ first Airbus A380 aircraft landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport last Friday. The aircraft will offer fuel economy as low as 3.1 litres per 100 passenger kms, better than that of Toyota’s acclaimed Prius hybrid passenger vehicle (which uses 4.4 litres per 100 vehicle kms). It also comfortably meets the current EU Stage Three and proposed Stage Four noise level standards. The 58 A380s will play a key role in the airline’s network expansion, eventually serving all the major cities in the Emirates network which spans six continents. Emirates is due to receive five superjumbos in the current financial year, which ends March, 2009, with the remaining 53 arriving by June 2013.
