The Emirates A380 plane landing on a runway.
The Emirates A380 plane landing on a runway.

World’s largest airliner – the A380 - returns to Scotland with UWL lecturer in command

Intro

The Emirates A380 returned to Glasgow for the first time since 2019 last weekend – touching down at lunchtime on Sunday 26 March, to large crowds of media, aircraft enthusiasts and local people. Both the airport and the region were delighted to see the giant plane return, heralding the start of a daily passenger and freight service to Dubai.

Main body

Flying the aircraft in was Iain Hanson, who is an A380 Training Captain for Emirates as well as a Lecturer for UWL’s Aviation courses at the London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism. While the A380 may be a familiar sight at larger mega-hubs like Heathrow, being able to establish a regular service to a smaller, regional airport is a big deal, Iain explains.

He says:

As a Scottish pilot, it was a privilege to be chosen by the company to operate this flight and be a part of bringing capacity and the Emirates A380 experience for passengers. There’s a real affection and interest for this aircraft in Scotland, as seen by the huge welcome we received today. It is great to see sustained passenger demand again from the region.” 

Emirates is the world’s largest A380 operator, carrying up to 615 passengers and a maximum take-off weight of 575 tonnes. The aircraft also features added extras like showers and a bar.  

Iain concludes:

I have flown the A380 for 11 years now, and seeing all these amazing aircraft return to service is a real positive sign of the industry upscaling and continued steady growth of passenger demand. For anyone considering an aviation career, there is a renewed feeling of security and many opportunities available,”

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