Almost 20 million UK passengers have flown on the Airbus A380 with Emirates since the airline introduced the superjumbo into service a decade ago this month.
The Dubai-based carrier has flown more than 105 million passengers on its fleet of A380s since the first aircraft entered service to New York on August 1, 2008.
The UK has the highest number of Emirates A380 passengers, according to the airline, with 14 A380 flights a day to Dubai from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester.
Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the A380, with 104 double-decker aircraft flying to 49 cities on six continents on scheduled services with more than 80 daily departures from its Dubai hub. The airline has a further 58 A380s on order.
Today, Emirates also operates the world’s shortest A380 route from Dubai to Kuwait and the world’s longest A380 non-stop route from Dubai to Auckland.
The airline’s president Sir Tim Clark said: “It’s been ten extraordinary years since the first Emirates A380 flight took to the skies, and today it has become one of the most recognisable and admired aircraft in the world.
“Passengers love to fly it because of its spaciousness which provides more comfort across all classes, and its iconic products like the OnBoard Lounge, Shower Spa and First Class suites have redefined air travel.
“We remain committed to providing the best experience for our customers aboard our flagship aircraft, and introducing new innovations that will continue to ‘wow’ them every time they fly with us.
“The Emirates A380 has also had a significant impact on the aerospace industry and its high-value supply chains, fuelling hundreds of thousands of jobs for skilled workers, and creating significant economic benefits in countries which have A380 production facilities.
“The aircraft continues to boost tourism and trade wherever it flies by stimulating further traffic and demand, and we hope that it continues to play an important role in the economies and societies that it serves in the years to come.”