Emirates flagship Airbus A380 aircraft has touched down in Bali today, marking Indonesia’s first-ever A380 service. In a separate announcement, the carrier unveiled a new closed-loop recycling initiative for onboard plastics.
On Thursday (June 1, 2023), Emirates launched inaugural landmark Airbus A380 service between Dubai (DXB) and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Bali. Flight EK368 departed Dubai at 03:10 and arrived in Bali at 16:20, and the return flight, EK369, will depart Bali at 19:40 and will arrive in Dubai at 00:45+1 (all times local). Today’s flight was the first-ever scheduled A380 service to Indonesia, and was greeted in Bali with a spectacular traditional water cannon salute as it landed amidst cheers from passengers and spectators. VIP guests onboard the milestone flight included H.E. Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri and Emirates SVP Commercial Operations, Orhan Abbas, and other dignitaries.
Commenting on the momentous occasion, Emirates’ Orhan Abbas, said,
“We are extremely excited that our iconic A380 aircraft has arrived in Bali. This has been the result of months of careful planning and execution. The commencement of our A380 operations in Indonesia is also an extension of our long-standing commitment to the market, and a testament to the solid partnership we have with the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and the local authorities. We look forward to offering our A380’s best-in-class services to our valued customers flying to and from Denpasar, while simultaneously serving the increased demand for international travel with the Superjumbo being one of two daily services to the island.”
I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport’s General Manager, Handy Heryudhitiawan, added,
“The Ministry of Transportation, in collaboration with Angkasa Pura I and the Emirates team, examined the airside and landside facilities at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to ensure it meets the requirements to serve Airbus A380 flights. We have prepared garbarata or aviobridge with two trunks to allow passengers to board and disembark between the aircraft and the airport terminal while we’ve also facilitated specific parking arrangements surrounding the Airbus A380. Through our frequent joint coordination meetings with key stakeholders including the Airport Authority, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Air Force Base, Ground Handling, and other relevant parties at the airport, we will ensure the A380 operations will continue to run smoothly.”
Emirates inaugural A380 flight to Bali was operated by a three-class aircraft featuring the carrier’s award-winning First Class suites, and the route will now be operated with a two-class aircraft with 58 lie-flat Business Class seats and 557 Economy Class seats. The carrier currently offers 28 weekly flights to Indonesia with service to both Bali and Jakarta, and inbound guests can enjoy seamless onward domestic connections to 29 destinations via partnerships with Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air.
In a separate press release today (June 1st, 2023), Emirates unveiled a new closed look recycling initiative, where millions of onboard plastic service items will now be recycled in a local facility and remade into fresh, ready-to-use Emirates meal service items. In partnership with deSter FZE UAE, a leading provider of serviceware to the airline industry, and expert in closed loop manufacturing, Emirates will reuse plastic items that would otherwise have been written off.
Emirates Launches Closed Loop Recycling Initiative for Onboard Plastics - Courtesy Emirates
In addition to the new closed loop recycling project, Emirates has already implemented a range of programs to reduce plastic waste. The carrier has diverted 150 million single-use plastic items from landfill annually by replacing straws, inflight retail bags, and stirrers with responsibly sourced paper and wooden alternatives. Economy Class and Premium Economy Class guests can enjoy soft blankets, each made from 28 recycled plastic bottles, saving 88 million plastic bottles from landfill per year. Additionally, Emirates’ current range of inflight toy bags, baby amenity kits and plush toys are made from recycled plastic bottles, with over eight million plastic bottles repurposed during 12 months of amenity kit production. Hygiene bowl covers on Emirates meal trays and plastic tumblers are also made from 80 percent recycled plastic (rPET). Cabin crew members also separate glass and plastic bottles for recycling in Dubai, diverting around 500,000 kilograms of plastic and glass from landfill in 2022 alone.
Source: Emirates