Yesterday Emirates flew an Airbus A380 into London Stansted Airport to fly the Arsenal football team to Florida for the Florida Cup. Unfortunately, the charter flight has now been canceled as several individuals due to fly to Orlando have tested positive for COVID-19.While aviation appears to be well on the road to recovery, it seems as though it hasn't yet completely escaped the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. While airlines can generally operate flights if a few passengers don't turn up due to positive tests, the case is slightly different when it comes to charter flights.

Emirates' A380 flight canceled

Emirates' Airbus A380 flight from London Stansted Airport to Orlando International Airport has now been canceled due to positive COVID-19 test results from asymptomatic individuals. Orlando Airport confirmed the news in a tweet, revealing that as the players were not flying, Emirates wouldn't be flying an empty A380.

The aircraft had been due to arrive in Orlando at roughly 18:15 this afternoon, with a lot of excitement at the airport. Orlando even launched a last-minute competition to get up close to the giant of the skies during a "quick plane spotter tour" tomorrow, suggesting that the aircraft wouldn't have returned straight home.

Other football teams inbound

While the Arsenal football team won't now be flying to Florida on the Airbus A380, three other teams are still set to fly to Orlando to participate in the football tournament.

A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350 about to take off.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace - Simple Flying | Edited by: Alvin Man

The Everton football club will be flying to Florida on a regularly scheduled flight. They will depart from Manchester Airport on a direct Virgin Atlantic flight to Orlando. VS 611 is due to leave Manchester at 11:00, before touching down in Orlando at 14:20 after eight hours and ten minutes in the skies. The airline will use its flagship Airbus A350 for the trip.

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The remaining two teams are due to arrive in Florida tomorrow. Inter Milan will fly on a charter flight operated by Aeronexus. An Aeronexus Boeing 767 registered as ZS-NEX arrived in Milan yesterday morning. The team is expected to arrive in Orlando at roughly 15:30 tomorrow on Aeronexus flight 134.

Finally, Millonarios will travel up to Orlando from Panama City on a regularly scheduled Copa Airlines flight. The team will be the only one to use a narrowbody, opting to travel on a flight operated by the Boeing 737-800. Flight CM 478 is expected to depart from Tocumen Airport at 11:45 tomorrow, with a scheduled arrival time of 16:16, although Orlando Airport is expecting it slightly earlier at 16:02.

Match games will take place on July 25th and July 28th, after which the respective teams will return home. For the time being, it seems the only place for A6-EVN to fly is back home to Dubai.

Are you sad that Emirates' A380 charter flight was canceled? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!