murtaza12

Fleet updates (A380):

13x Airbus A380s are being used for service to LHR, CDG and AMS. These are all new aircraft with 9 of them being from the A6-EVx series, and 4 from the A6-EUx series.

The entire A6-EDx fleet of A380s is parked at DWC, with almost all A6-EEx and A6-EOx aircraft parked there as well.

Fleet updates (B777):

Boeing 777-200LR operations resumed on the 17th of July with B77L (A6-EWB) operating DXB - FCO service as EK 97 / EK 98.

A total of 3 B777-200LRs are being used for service to select destinations, these are A6-EWB, A6-EWF and A6-EWI.

5x B777-200LRs are still parked at DWC. A6-EWA recently returned to DXB on the 25th of July, but has not yet returned to revenue service.

Being the backbone of EK's fleet, 126 out of 131 B777-300ER aircraft are in service, operating a mix of cargo-only and regular pax + cargo flights.

Retirements:

Boeing 777-36NER (A6-EBC) which was moved to Sharjah (SHJ) for storage on the 3rd of July was intended for Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-ACA, however due to COVID-19, the airline decided not to take delivery of the aircraft. It will remain at SHJ for the foreseeable future until the lessor (GECAS) finds a new customer or decides to use it for the P2F program just like A6-EBB.

Boeing 777-36NER (A6-EBE) was withdrawn from use on the 8th of June 2020 and is currently undergoing end-of-lease maintenance at DXB. This aircraft is also owned by GECAS, but there is no public information about the future operator of this aircraft.

Boeing 777-36NER (A6-EBG) is currently operating flights, but is expected to be taken out of service later this month for retirement by October unless EK has some new plans for it.

murtaza12

Boeing 777-31HER (A6-EBR) was damaged on 14th April 2020 when the horizontal stabilizer was hit by a taxiing British Airways Airbus A350.

I thought the aircraft would be repaired by now, however being an older aircraft, it seems like it's not a priority.

I had a chance to see it this morning when taxiing to the gate and noticed that the damaged panels are wrapped up in some sort of protective material and the engines are covered.

den3aah

Does anyone know if the newer B77W aircrafts with the game changer F class are being operated on PAX flights? if so, what destinations?

Cheers

kq747

You can look up the recent flight histories by registration. It's all frames from A6-EQH onwards

murtaza12

They've flown to many destinations that they don't normally fly to, but they seem to be regulars on:

EK7/8 (LHR)
EK75/76 (CDG)
EK89/90 (GVA)
EK45/46 (FRA)
EK127/128 (VIE)
EK183/184 (BRU)
EK354/355 (SIN)
EK201/202 (JFK)

However, there have been some exceptions in the past few weeks. No guarantees that there will be a game-changer 77W on the specific date that you fly.

Andrew35K

I'm looking for EK45/46 for a trip around Christmas, but it seems to be gone. Same with EK 127/128 from VIE and EK 183/184 from BRU. Only A380s.

iFlyMoreThanYou

thats way too far out anyway, especially given the conditions we are in now

kq747

Agree with IFlyMoreThanYou. It is far too early to tell what will be happening at Christmas time. The entire situation can and likely will be quite different so I would not make bookings relying on current information

fly747first

Anyone know when EK will officially introduce Premium Economy?

murtaza12

Fleet updates (A380):

Number of aircraft in service has not changed since the last fleet update. Still thirteen A380s rotating between LHR, CDG, CAI, CAN and YYZ.

Towards the end of August, some older (A6-EEx) aircraft were sent to DWC for storage and three A6-EUx aircraft returned from DWC storage.

Multiple test flights were also performed on stored A380 aircraft at DWC, including a relatively new 2-class frame - A6-EVB.

Fleet updates (B777):

August was quite an eventful month for EKs B777 fleet.

B777-36NER (A6-ECA) had the passenger evacuation slide accidentally deployed during a stop at SYD on 1st August.

B777-31HER (A6-ENN) had it's L1 door ripped off by the passenger boarding bridge at MNL on the 14th of August. The aircraft returned to DXB on the 18th of August for thorough inspection, it returned to service just yesterday.

B777-36NER (A6-EBG) was withdrawn from service on August 12th, and is now undergoing end-of-lease maintenance at DXB. This brings EK's total B77W fleet to 130 aircraft.

Previously retired A6-EBC (stored SHJ) and A6-EBE (stored DXB) are still looking for a new home.

Total B77W in service are 126, the following four aircraft are not:
A6-EBR (damaged)
A6-ECT, A6-EGN, A6-EPF (maintenance).

Total B77L in service are 5. However, a sixth aircraft is expected to return to service, as A6-EWC has just been ferried back from DWC storage to DXB this morning.
A6-EWD, EWE, EWG and EWH are still in storage.

ET359

Not a huge expert on EK fleet so bear with me. I'm thinking of flying on an EK 77W from the US and haven't haven't done this for at least 5 years given A380 were common on US flights. However, what I do recall is that the 77W EK flew to the US were an older bunch (I think they had higher MTOW ?) . If this is still the case, have these planes been updated with newer business/economy seats ?

murtaza12

JFK is getting the newest 77Ws right now, with the refreshed business class seats (still 2-3-2 however), and the new fully enclosed first class suites.

IAH is getting 77Ls, without first class, but with the new refreshed business cabin in a 2-2-2 layout.

LAX, ORD and IAD are getting relatively new planes as well, with the refreshed business class seats (2-3-2), however they don't have the new first class suites.

BOS is the only destination that is getting a mixed fleet, some days it's a new plane, some days it's quite old.

Brostman

Potentially I have a EK flight in late 2021 for a personal trip (ORD-HKG and/or SIN-ORD, and was wondering what your thoughts were regarding what aircraft might be flying at that time (assuming some positive change to operations in a post-CoVid scenario).. same as you indicate above, or possibility the new first class suites get retrofitted into aircraft servicing ORD

thijsseh

There is absolutely no way of predicting what 777 configurations will be used on what routes, now or in the future. And there will be no retrofitting of new F on existing 77W’s that have not got it.
I would hope though that generally by end 2021 most of the ‘traditional’ A380 routes will be operated by A380’s again!

Brostman

And I am assuming that EK will not take delivery of any new 77W's any time soon, which would mean that the new F class suites will only be found within the existing 77W fleet that has the suites. And I am guessing ORD would not be a likely candidate for one of the new F suites planes... but like you said no way of predicting.

I would relish the chance to fly an EK A380, and I think my connecting through DXB either coming or going to Asia (SIN or HKG or PEK) are my best chances for an A380.... would you agree ORD likely won't get an A380 (even after the expansion at ORD, which should yield the necessary gate space for an A380)

I realize it is all speculation at this point... but I know many others here at FT are much more attuned these matters, so I appreciate informed speculation, even though it is only speculation.