I feel like I need some sort of complicated flow chart to keep track of the A380's future, as it just keeps getting stranger. For years Emirates has been the only airline that has really been happy with the A380, as they now have 100 of the planes in their fleet, and they've managed to…
Continue reading: Aircraft Leasing Company Wants To Start All-A380 Airline
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While the goal is obviously to not fly long haul economy, I would sooner stay home than fly on a plane with 11 seats per row.
@Garrett: Seconded!
Further, if they're wet-leasing the same planes to multiple airlines based on seasonal variances, how do airlines maintain brand integrity, especially with hard product? This would seem like a risky gamble for any airline that prides itself on on-board products.
Desperate PR move by Amadeo...zero chance the 20 A380s Amedeo has on order ever get built...
@Garrett: 11-abreast requires a raised floor on the lower deck which means that seats should be just as comfortable as their are now on A380s. IMO it's more insulting that the premium economy on the upper deck has the current Y upper deck density.
Would this be a modern version of steerage decks in the old ocean liners? Probably some sort of generic off brand travel. Wonder if this would appeal to charter travel companies? Maybe not the sort of thing a full service airline would be apart of but apparently there is a class of travelers that will endure almost anything to pay the lowest possible fare.
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Eventually they will take out the First/Biz classes, pack the max capacity (800?) into the air frame. When you board they will hand you a couple bottles of water, a boxed meal, and a piss bucket. If you push the call button you get a shock and a pre-recorded message that says it's for emergencies only.
Thank you for flying Dystopian Airlines !
Well maybe they could just operate 1 or 2 round trips a month TATL for AA only for award bookings 🙂
11 in a row is great if the plane is half empty. 11 in a row sucks if the flight is oversold.
I don't see 11-abreast on an A380 being any worse than 10-abreast on a 777, or 9-abreast on an A330, let alone 8-abreast on a 767, and yet all these configurations are out and about. Mind that Airbus still promises 18" width with 3+5+3 thanks to a slightly raised floor, which positions the shoulder level to the widest point of the fuselage. Sure, it does look terrible at first glance, but frankly, after a recent cramped economy flight on a Swiss 777, I'd much rather try the Amedeo A380.
Why would you start a charter op with expensive a380s when there are dozens of 747-400s parked up?!?!?
Juraj,
I agree, greater densities on a plane this huge is still better than the average coach experience on any US domestic flight. and I suspect there is a demand for 700-800 seat aircraft, on popular high-density routes. Although they would not have to be that long-haul either. You could surely fill them from SFO to LAX, for instance.
Still, it's a climbdown from the original promise where Branson wanted to put a hot tub on an A-380
aircraft financing is so easy right now. surprised more start up crap hasn't been announced yet.
Priced correctly this will work. For Hajj pilgrims or discount vacationers. This blog does not have the right target market reading it to discuss this without bias ... Come on guys/ladies -- you're all looking for lie flat business or suites. This will work for folks that just want to get somewhere specific at the lowest cost. The A380 is an awesome plane - it's just looking for a business model and a market that will make it successful. Amedeo's challenge is to find markets that will work for a mostly depreciated plane. Delta files mostly depreciated planes from b to c destinations today. This could work.
This seems really out there. I have a hard time picturing established carriers buying capacity on one of these planes, especially with the dreaded "double-middle" seat in economy. There might be a few routes where they could pack passengers in cheaply on charter flights to leisure destinations, and maybe between that, Hajj charters, and a little side work for smaller carriers whose ambitions outreach their capital, they might get by.
Or, and here's a thought, if they can offer the capacity cheaply enough this might be Ryanair's secret weapon for TATL flights? 😀
The A380 came just a decade too late - a case of not viewing the wire lense. This is where Boeing has always excelled.
Not sure if airlines fondness has anything to do with it. Its just that this plane doesnt make economic sense for most airlines, hence there has not been much demand for it. The Emirates business model will not work for every airline. It is about time that this ugly beast is retired.
I keep reading on here that airlines other than Emirates are ‘not happy’ with the A380. Is there actually any evidence of this or are they just using them where it makes commercial sense? I think BA is very happy with full A380s going down to Joburg every day but they don’t see commercial sense in replacing 777 routes (plus they are hanging onto their jumbos for a long time!). One comment is a slur on the plane, the other is a comment on its place in a market where since the ME3/Turkish etc have expanded there are now more routes to destinations than ever before?
Ned,
You're right, BA gets very good load factors on its A380's, and moreover they have a lot of premium seats (14 in F and 97 in J).
And they use it in routes that are both busy and have high-value pax, e.g. LHR to SFO, despite also using a 747 daily on that route too.
Where they don't use it is on LHR-JFK because the key there is frequency for business flyers who can just show up and get the next flights - it's really a shuttle.
I blame the airlines for not figuring out how to use what is the most sophisticated and luxurious plane out there. With airports becoming constrained, this plane fits a niche.
The best plan for Airbus would be to eliminate the A380 program immediately. Allow the customers with open orders to either cancel or purchase other aircraft models.
Be smart Airbus. Cut and run baby!
I personally love flying on the A380 - but I only fly SQ, THAI, Asiana, Air France, Qatar Airways in First or Business...so pretty nice experience anyway, no matter what the aircraft type.
Airbus put too little emphasis on getting the US carriers 'on board' with aircraft...
As much as John Leahy is a legend Airbus salesman, major blemish on his career, unable to get the most powerful country/ strongest global economy in world to buy this aircraft; which
probably scared away other potential operators to he honest...
I hope they keep A380 in production, but think only viable if they re-engine, maybe even stretch the aircraft (as originally designed).
@Martin - Perhaps most luxurious, but not most sophisticated 🙂 That crown would still belong to the 787 for begin revolutionary in aircraft design and technology as opposed to evolutionary.
JoeBoo,
Who knows how much pressure Boeing and the US government put on US airlines to not buy the A380. At the time US airlines were going bankrupt or close to, so timing was an issue as well.
Emily,
For that kind of sophistication, Airbus has the A350. The only competitor to the A380 is the 747 and they are barely being built any more. Boeing will soon have nothing bigger than a 777 and even the new one only seats 400 or so.