Heralding a new generation in passenger travel to the U.S., Emirates Airline’s first Airbus A380 arrived at New York’s JFK International Airport at approximately 4:40 p.m. on August 1, concluding the mega jetliner’s first commercial flight to the U.S.
Carrying 491 people, including two infants, the aircraft made the nonstop flight from Dubai in 13 hours and 20 minutes. “There have been many superlatives used about the arrival of this truly magnificent airplane,” said Timothy Clark, Emirates president. “We are particularly proud and delighted that it should be the first aircraft on the commercial service to the North American continent, America, and JFK in particular.”
It was an event long in coming as Emirates was scheduled to have received the airplane nearly two years ago. “Frankly, we expected delays with the aircraft,” said Keith Longstaff, Emirates’ senior vice president for worldwide commercial operations. “It’s a brand-new new-generation airframe and therefore we are delighted to have it.
It’s all water under the bridge now; there’s no point in talking about it. We’ve got [our] first one and we’re proud of it.”
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