The first retrofitted high-density A380 will enter service on April 14, operating between Dubai and Amman before shifting to Prague from June. All 15 two-class A380 aircraft are scheduled to be converted into three-class layouts by November, increasing premium seat availability while maintaining high capacity in economy cabins.
More routes receive upgraded aircraft
Deployment will begin in March across multiple regions. New York JFK flights will operate with a refurbished four-class A380 from April, before shifting to daily service in June. Zurich services receive upgraded A380 aircraft from March, while Milan flights will be operated by retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft from May. Dublin will see all 21 weekly flights equipped with Premium Economy from October, expanding options for transatlantic passengers.
Asian routes are included in the rollout. Ho Chi Minh City services will operate upgraded Boeing 777 aircraft from May, and Hong Kong flights will shift to A380 operations in October before transitioning to refurbished A380 aircraft in December. Entebbe will join the programme in March with the introduction of the A350, broadening product consistency across African destinations.
Fleet changes reshape capacity mix
Configuration updates reflect a strategy focused on balancing demand across cabin classes. The upgraded A380 will feature 76 Business Class seats, 56 Premium Economy seats and 437 Economy seats, indicating the airline’s push to grow mid-tier offerings while maintaining large economy capacity for high volume routes.
Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series.
Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy.
An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question.
When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.
