Emirates’ first retired A380 to be repurposed in the UAE

Signs contract with UAE-based specialist Falcon Aircraft Recycling to save most of its retired aircraft from landfill via a pioneering upcycling and recycling programme

Iconic 1st generation A380 onboard bar and other cabin features to be transformed into bespoke furniture, plus a range of aviation memorabilia and retail items which will be released for sale in the coming months

Portion of sale profits to benefit the Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline’s charity organisation focussed on helping disadvantaged children around the world.

Emirates has signed a contract with UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling 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 extensive materials recovery and repurposing activities will be entirely conducted in the UAE, the airline’s home base, further reducing the project’s environmental footprint.

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. Also, many aircraft items can be difficult to recycle or dispose, for instance fire retardant fabrics and composite materials.