The low-level flypast marks three milestones for Emirates ( and South Africa; The flying show celebrates the return of the second each day A380 service on the Dubai-Johannesburg route from 1 September.
Emirates, the world’s largest worldwide airline, takes to the skies to have fun its longstanding and ongoing dedication to South Africa, with the nation’s first ever A380 flypast. Working up the rating, the outstanding low-level aerial showcase additionally marks Emirates’ first ever flypast in Africa and the primary worldwide airline to execute such a feat in South Africa.
Honouring its shared love for rugby with over 62,000 enthusiastic spectators, Emirates flew the world’s largest industrial passenger plane over Emirates Airline Park, simply earlier than kick-off of the much-anticipated Springboks vs All Blacks check match. Flying at an altitude of simply 500 toes above the bottom, the long-lasting Emirates double-decker plane saluted rugby and aviation followers, in its newest signature livery.
The Emirates A380 took off from O.R. Tambo Worldwide Airport at 16:00, travelling at a pace of 140 kts, reaching the stadium at 16:58, completely timed to comply with South Africa and New Zealand’s nationwide anthems. The spectacular aerial feat follows months of thorough and cross-functional planning between stakeholders together with a number of groups at Emirates, South African Civil Aviation Authority, Airports Firm South Africa, Emirates pilots, Flight Operation Managers and Air Site visitors Controllers working along with the Emirates Lions staff. The groups labored collectively throughout each aspect of the aerial show, considering air visitors patterns at completely different occasions of the day with completely different climate and wind circumstances.
UAE Nationwide Captain Mubarak Al Mheiri, A380 Deputy Chief Pilot commanded the flight, joined by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Abdalla Al Hammadi, each Technical Pilots for the Airbus A380 and Captain Richard Fiess, A380 Captain. Captain Mubarak has flown with Emirates for 19 years and has accomplished over 7,200 hours within the cockpit of the long-lasting A380. He has commanded related flypasts for Emirates, together with UAE Nationwide Day celebrations ( for the previous 4 years and headlining the industrial plane flypast formation on the 2023 Dubai Air Present ( He additionally participated within the iconic flight selling Expo 2020 ( which noticed an A380 fly round an Emirates Cabin Crew on the very prime of the Burj Khalifa; the unprecedented formation flight with the Jetman ( staff again in 2015; and with the Pink Arrows ( in 2022.
Afzal Parambil, Nation Supervisor of Southern Africa, Emirates mentioned, “Tonight’s record-setting flypast is a robust show of our unwavering dedication to South Africa. It represents not simply an achievement of technical excellence, however encapsulates our ongoing partnership with key stakeholders in South Africa, together with the Civil Aviation Authority, O.R. Tambo Worldwide Airport, Emirates Lions and, after all, the sturdy relationship we’ve constructed with our prospects and journey companions right here over time. For nearly three many years, we’ve unlocked an array of selections for our prospects, by providing an impressive on-ground and in-flight expertise coupled with seamless world connectivity, and we’re not slowing down now. We look ahead to the subsequent 30 years, and past, of serving South Africa and spotlighting its many points of interest to the world.”
Pieter Burger, Ellis Park Stadium Managing Director, mentioned, “The flyover has change into such a pre-match leisure staple on the iconic Emirates Airline Park. First witnessed in 1995 on the ultimate of the worldwide rugby showpiece the place the South African nationwide rugby staff was victorious, to have had this second tonight in opposition to the exact same opposition was an exciting expertise for followers watching on the stadium and at house.
We’re extraordinarily grateful to our long-time accomplice Emirates who had been pivotal in direction of the success of this undertaking, along with all different position gamers concerned. From an enduring reminiscence perspective, it will definitely be up there for individuals who had the privilege to witness the second.”
The flypast additionally marks the return of Emirates’ second A380 service on the Dubai-Johannesburg route, enhancing extra buyer alternative and journey choices with Emirates’ iconic onboard merchandise and world-class service. EK761 departs Dubai at 04.05, touchdown in Johannesburg at 10:15, with the return flight, EK762, departing Johannesburg at 13.25 and touching down in Dubai at 23.45, completely timed for onward connections to key locations within the Far East, Europe and the Center East.
Emirates is among the world’s greatest supporters of rugby. In South Africa, Emirates’ funding within the sport is headlined by its steadfast title sponsorship of the Emirates Lions, together with naming rights of the staff’s house stadium, Emirates Airline Park. The airline additionally sponsors the action-packed Cape City Sevens, a daily fixture on the Sevens World Collection calendar and one of the well-liked dwell sporting occasions in South Africa, recurrently drawing over 100,000 spectators.
Globally, Emirates might be discovered on the centre of the motion from grassroots to skilled leagues because the sponsor of Rugby World Cup since 2007, with distinguished presence deliberate on the upcoming 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Firmly established as a long-term accomplice of South African aviation, tourism, and commerce, Emirates has been serving the marketplace for 29 years, connecting over 20 million travellers to/from South Africa with greater than 140 locations on its huge world community, through Dubai. The airline serves prospects touring to and from South Africa with 42 weekly flights to Cape City, Johannesburg and Durban, with further connectivity to regional factors throughout the nation provided by its codeshare and interline companions South African Airways, Airlink, Cemair, and FlySafair.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Emirates Group.
