On 5 May 2021, Emirates announced that it had returned Airbus A380 aircraft to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) for operational operations for the first time since 2020. According to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Emirates Super Jumbo is ready to serve German airport by the end of the month. May 2021, operating two daily flights (EK47 and EK48) from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and back to DXB.
Due to declining demand for international air travel in March 2020, Emirates had to temporarily detain all Airbus A380 aircraft on the ground. The recent return of the flagship Emirates aircraft, for the first time in more than a year, suggests that demand for the Dubai-Frankfurt route has increased, especially given the vaccination rate in Germany.
Emirates has resumed Airbus A380 flights to Frankfurt.
According to the latest figures, Germany has vaccinated about 8% of its population with both doses of the vaccine and about 30.6% with just the first dose, according to graphics.reuters.com. In addition, some German federal states have amended quarantine restrictions on vaccinated travelers. Hessen, where Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is located, has given up mandatory self-isolation for people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before departure if they come from an area with a low epidemiological risk.
While many Airbus A380 operators have decided to withdraw this type of aircraft due to the coronoavirus pandemic, Emirates has remained confident in the future of Super Jumbo. The United Arab Emirates plans to continue operating the Airbus A380 until the mid-2030s.
Emirates has a fleet of 380 Airbus A117 aircraft. Currently, due to global travel restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, out of 117 Airbus A380s, 99 aircraft were parked, only 18 A380s are currently in operational service, according to Planespotters.net data.