Emirates has restored its service between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Christchurch Airport (CHC) via Sydney International Airport (SYD) on the carrier’s flagship Airbus A380 aircraft after more than three years.
On March 27, 2023, the A380 landed at CHC Airport. A large crowd of onlookers gathered at the airport’s perimeter to welcome the iconic aircraft as it taxied through a ceremonial water cannon salute.
EK412 departed from DXB airport at 10:15 local time, made a brief stop at SYD airport at 7:00 local time, and then made its way to CHC airport at 13:55 local time the following day.
After that, the return trip, EK 413, will leave CHC at 18:20 local time and land in Sydney at 1940 local time. The last leg will leave at 2145 and arrive at 0515 local time at DXB airport.
“Seeing the water cannon salute after we touched down in the first Emirates A380 flight in more than three years is a reminder of how special the aircraft is to Christchurch, since its first arrival in 2016. The significance of the occasion was also clear on the faces of the other passengers on board, who understood what this service means for Christchurch and connecting it to the world,” Barry Brown, Emirates’ divisional vice president Australasia, said in a statement.
After increasing operations by 31% since the start of its fiscal year, Emirates said the restart of the DXB to CHC route is the beginning of a planned increase in seating capacity across the airline’s global network.
