An Emirates A380 touched down in Islamabad on Sunday for a historic one-off service to Islamabad International Airport. This was the first time ever that the double-decker aircraft has landed in Pakistan. The landing demonstrated the airport’s readiness to accommodate the A380, the world’s largest commercial passenger jet.
The Emirates A380 flight was operated by a UAE national, Capt. Abbas Shaban, chief pilot of technical operations and a Pakistani national, First Officer Qadir Moin.
The special flight, operating as EK 2524, was joined by a VIP delegation led by Sheikh Majid Al-Mualla, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president, commercial operations center, and Adil Al-Ghaith, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations, GMEI (Gulf, Middle East and Iran). They were joined by Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, UAE ambassador to Pakistan, and Moazzam Ahmad Khan, Pakistani ambassador to the UAE. Also traveling on the flight as special guests were two Pakistani members of Emirates’ first ever team, Captain Fazle Ghani, the airline’s first chief pilot and team lead for inaugural operations, and Captain Ejaz ul Haq, one of the pilots who operated the first ever Emirates flights from Dubai 33 years ago.
Upon landing at the Islamabad International Airport, the aircraft was met with a ceremonial water cannon salute, and the Emirates delegation was welcomed by government officials and Islamabad International Airport executives.
The Emirates A380 flight was operated by a UAE national, Capt. Abbas Shaban, chief pilot of technical operations and a Pakistani national, First Officer Qadir Moin.
The special flight, operating as EK 2524, was joined by a VIP delegation led by Sheikh Majid Al-Mualla, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president, commercial operations center, and Adil Al-Ghaith, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations, GMEI (Gulf, Middle East and Iran). They were joined by Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, UAE ambassador to Pakistan, and Moazzam Ahmad Khan, Pakistani ambassador to the UAE. Also traveling on the flight as special guests were two Pakistani members of Emirates’ first ever team, Captain Fazle Ghani, the airline’s first chief pilot and team lead for inaugural operations, and Captain Ejaz ul Haq, one of the pilots who operated the first ever Emirates flights from Dubai 33 years ago.
Upon landing at the Islamabad International Airport, the aircraft was met with a ceremonial water cannon salute, and the Emirates delegation was welcomed by government officials and Islamabad International Airport executives.
