World’s largest airliner returns to Birmingham as Gulf carriers boost capacity

The biggest airplane in the world will make a comeback to Birmingham airport due to an increase in capacity by Gulf carriers.

Emirates is set to recommence operating its 615-seat Airbus A380s starting this Saturday, for one out of its two daily round trips between the West Midlands airport and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This marks the first instance since the onset of the global health crisis that the airline will utilize these aircraft.

During the peak of the virus crisis, most A380s worldwide were stored, giving rise to conjecture that they might never resume operations as newer aircraft with better fuel efficiency exist.

However, the model's capacity to accommodate a larger number of travelers compared to alternative commercial airplanes signifies that their revival is underway.

Meanwhile, Saudia, the airline company, is commencing its services to Birmingham airport from Sunday. They will offer three round trip flights per week connecting Birmingham to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Qatar Airways is set to resume its operations at the airport on July 6 after a three-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. The airline will offer daily flights back and forth to the capital city of Qatar, Doha.

Birmingham airport has high hopes that these changes will entice a greater number of travelers to consider it as a substitute for the terminals in London.

It anticipates accommodating approximately 12.5 million travelers throughout the ongoing fiscal year and has intentions to escalate the yearly total to over 18 million within the next ten years.

According to Nick Barton, the CEO of the airport, our business and leisure customers now enjoy improved direct connections with the Middle East.

Emirates, Qatar, and Saudia are prominent international contenders linking Birmingham airport directly to their central airports, all encompassing extensive networks that cater to different regions like Australasia, Africa, and the Far East.

According to Mr Barton, prominent companies like Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Accenture, and HSBC have recently set up their main offices in the city of Birmingham.

He continued: "Emirates, Qatar, and Saudia view Birmingham and the West Midlands as a British area inhabited by six million individuals, having an economy similar in size to that of Hungary. This region is experiencing a promising growth trend and still holds untapped economic potential for the future."

The appeal of the West Midlands becomes even more enticing when you take into account the possibilities brought by the upcoming HS2 railway. This futuristic transport system is set to link London with Birmingham airport directly, in a mind-bogglingly short time span of only 32 minutes.

“We are thrilled to announce that we will be reintroducing our renowned A380 plane to Birmingham," expressed Richard Jewsbury, the divisional vice president of Emirates UK.

"The resumption will facilitate enhanced connectivity for a greater number of travelers to sought-after long-distance locations such as Thailand, Australia, and undoubtedly the bustling metropolis of Dubai during the upcoming summer season and beyond."

In addition to satisfying rising customer needs, businesses throughout the area will have the opportunity to make the most of the cargo space.

"We take great pride in our collaboration with Birmingham airport and our ongoing dedication to the broader Midlands area."