Emirates flies new Boeing 777-300ER to Glasgow

Emirates will add a brand new Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) aircraft on this route - which is Scotland's only direct long-haul service to operate eastwards -providing 50 per cent more seat capacity each day than the existing Airbus A330-200.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide, said: "This move is in direct response to increasing demand from passengers for travel to and from Scotland, who have been hugely supportive of Emirates service since we launched this route on April 10 2005.

"The introduction of larger aircraft reaffirms our commitment to developing our operation to and from Glasgow International Airport. More and more customers are recognising the benefits of the direct Emirates services to Glasgow so they can travel directly to Scotland without having to transit in London.

The GE90 engines on the Boeing 777-300ER are the most powerful jet engines in the world, producing more than 115,300lbs of thrust. That's the equivalent of having 200 Ferrari F360 Modena cars under each wing. The engines are so big that a Range Rover could be driven through one with room to spare.

That thrust enables Boeing 777, with a Maximum Take-off Weight of approximately 340 tons, to accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than six seconds - faster than many road-going cars. The 777-300ER measures an impressive 73.9 metres in length (242 feet, four inches), with a wingspan of 64.8 metres (212 feet 7inches).

With a range of more than 7,880 nautical miles (14,594km), the Boeing 777-300ER could fly from Glasgow to Dubai and back again non-stop. Ideal for long-haul routes, the aircraft is currently operated on services from Dubai to Sydney and Auckland, via Bangkok and Dubai to Manila.

A key feature of the aircraft is Emirates' unique Information, Communications and Entertainment system - ICE - which offers 500 channels of video, audio and games on demand from every passenger's personal video screen. The system is available to customers travelling in every class as well as the multitude of entertainment options available, including email and SMS facilities.

Business Class offers passengers comfortable seats with a pitch of up to 60 inches and an adjustable winged head-rest with six-way movement for optimum comfort. Economy passengers can enjoy more comfort than ever with roomy cabins, 34 inch seat pitch, and adjustable footrests and headrests.

Emirates' unique 'mood lighting' is also featured throughout the aircraft. The system, which adjusts the cabin lighting to reflect the time of day, is designed to counter the effects of jet lag.

And in another first for the airline, the new aircraft also sports an Emirates logo emblazoned on the underbelly. The distinctive logo - the Emirates name in white on a red field - is nearly 12 metres long, with the initial letter 'E' standing 2.3 metres tall, complementing the existing logo in gold on each side of the fuselage.

Since launch in April last year, the Emirates has carried more than 200,000 customers into and out of Glasgow and onwards connecting through its Dubai hub to a rapidly expanding network of 77 destinations in 54 countries world-wide.