Emirates has signed a contract on a pioneering initiative, where its first retired A380 aircraft will be upcycled and recycled, dramatically reducing the environmental impact of the deconstruction process and drastically reducing landfill waste. The iconic 1st generation A380 onboard bar and other cabin features will be transformed into bespoke furniture, plus a range of aviation memorabilia and retail items which will be released for sale in the coming months

Increasingly, retired aircraft are flown to remote locations and left to languish after being stripped for parts. Traditional salvage and recycling projects focus on recovering only profitable components, thereby leaving behind a substantial portion of the aircraft and materials that go into landfill or sit idle indefinitely for years.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates airline said: “We are delighted to partner with Falcon Aircraft Recycling on this first-of-its-kind project. Through this initiative, our customers and fans can take home a piece of aviation history while saving valuable materials from landfill and contributing to a charitable cause through the Emirates Airline Foundation. It’s an elegant and fitting retirement solution for this iconic aircraft and our flagship.”

Here are some of its service highlights:

Delivered from Airbus’ Hamburg facility on: 28 July 2008
First commercial flight: Dubai-New York JFK on 01 August 2008
Last commercial flight: Singapore-Dubai on 08 March 2020
Total number of flights: 6,319
Airports visited: 62

Stay tuned for information on when the souvenirs become available for purchase.