Emirates Debuts A350 Service to Edinburgh
Emirates made aviation history on January 3, 2025, by launching commercial operations of its first Airbus A350 aircraft on the Dubai-Edinburgh route. This milestone marks the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008, significantly enhancing the Scottish capital’s connectivity to the Middle East and beyond.
Flight EK23 took off from Dubai International Airport at 3:26 PM local time. Passengers were introduced to Emirates’ latest cabin innovations, including:
- 4K HDR ultra-responsive touchscreens
- Electric window blinds
- USB-C charging at every seat
- Enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity
The aircraft is equipped with 312 seats across three classes: 32 Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 21 Premium Economy seats, and 259 Economy Class seats.
Emirates has designed the A350 with next-generation cabin elements. These include extra-high ceilings, wider aisles, and a new six-way adjustable headrest in Economy Class that eliminates the need for neck pillows. The aircraft also boasts Thales’s AVANT Up inflight entertainment system and improved connectivity, including coverage over the North Pole for flights to the Americas.
The Edinburgh route operates daily. Departure from Dubai is at 2:50 PM, arriving at 7:05 PM local time. The return flight departs Edinburgh at 8:40 PM. Emirates plans to deploy the A350 to eight additional destinations:
- Mumbai
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Colombo
- Lyon
- Muscat
- Bologna
Over the coming years, the airline expects to receive 65 A350 aircraft.
Source: Emirates