[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1004257]Apparently back in the day , people actually went out their way to request VC10 flights, doubt anybody did that with the 380.[/quote]

canucklad – back in the late 1960s I was working in the travel office of a US oil company.

Senior staff arriving from the US would almost always travel with a US carrier. Pan Am (the daytime JFK-LHR was preferred) was the normal choice.

UK staff would, provided they had the right status, request BOAC’s VC-10.

BOAC gained the halo effect from operating the VC-10. This continued with Concorde.

Today it hasn’t been so clear cut with the A380. But the super jumbo is preferred. I say “not so clear cut” because today many factors influence a traveller’s decision. Factors like price, FFPs, connection opportunities and alliances didn’t exist in the rigid IATA days.

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1004257]Apparently back in the day , people actually went out their way to request VC10 flights, doubt anybody did that with the 380.[/quote]

back in the day (2015-19) my wonderful TC would only book me upstairs on the 380 to HKG, where there is more room by the window over the coffin like window seats on the 777 (in CW).

When Asia reopens to the Brits, be assured, I may not be as fussy.. 🙂

[AMcWhirter]

There was speculation that LH would retire its last remaining A380s (which are currently in storage).

Lufthansa to make further cuts and will decide on A380s next week

But today Lufthansa announced its last eight remaining A380s would remain in long-term storage.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver

[cwoodward]

A380 operations and operators have indeed been badly wounded by the pandemic but it is very far from the end for the ‘lorry in the sky’ with several airlines continuing to operate their passenger A380’s to busy schedules.
China Southern Airlines 5 380’s are very busy operating to Australia, UK, US,Canada,Netherlands and internally within China.
ANA is operating the aircraft internally and looking to restart operations to Honolulu later in September.
Malaysian are operating the aircraft mainly as freighters as are HiFly.

In my view the ‘lorry’ will keep on trucking as a passenger aircraft for many years yet and arguably some airlines have pulled the plug on the A380 rather too soon and will later regret the decision if they actually dispose of them.

[AllOverTheGaff]

Apparently back in the day , people actually went out their way to request VC10 flights, doubt anybody did that with the 380.

I booked A380 a number of times with Qantas, Malaysian and Emirates for differing reasons.

My first jaunt on the A380 with Qantas to Sydney was sublime, and formed part of a ‘significant’ birthday that I’ll never forget. I think it is a great plane and some really innovative interiors too (the EK showers might be a gimmick, but I am one of the few who has showered at 37,000 feet and at circa 570 MPH!). The peace and quite onboard compared to the noisy 777 is fab, having also flown the B787 a number of times too I’d take one or t’other as both offer really comfortable flying.

Rgds.
AOTG.

3 users thanked author for this post.

K1ngston, Frederic, JJ

[canucklad]

[quote quote=1011563]In my view the ‘lorry’ will keep on trucking as a passenger aircraft for many years yet and arguably some airlines have pulled the plug on the A380 rather too soon and will later regret the decision if they actually dispose of them.[/quote]

Agreed, especially as and when we finally come out of this “new normal” and back to the “old normal” maybe people will demand not to be treated like cattle and more like people. The 380 allows those airlines operating it, a chance to differentiation that the others don’t.
Then again ……….

1 user thanked author for this post.

Frederic

[Swissdiver]

[postquote quote=1012909][/postquote]

That’s exactly why they don’t want a lorry to be packed in like cattle…

[AMcWhirter]

Hi-Fly will phase out its A380 later this year.

https://hifly.aero/media-center/a380-phase-out/

[AMcWhirter]

Today a photo emerged on social media showing the first of Air France’s A380 being dismantled in Ireland.

I understand the aircraft in question is 10 years old.

🇫🇷 L’Airbus A380, immatriculé F-HPJB, ex Air -France est en cours de démantèlement à Knock en Irlande.

📷 unknow pic.twitter.com/2xnZsNrjX3

— air plus news (@airplusnews) December 29, 2020

1 user thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1085654]I understand the aircraft in question is 10 years old.[/quote]

Can anyone find a younger wide body aircraft being sent to the ‘knackers yard’?

[AMcWhirter]

That figure of 10 years old was provided by our knowledgeable contributor Andreas Spaeth. That A380 was delivered in February 2010 …. so one could say it’s almost 11 years old today (although it hasn’t seen service since before Covid).

The Air France A380 which operated the farewell flight in June this year was 8.7 years old (at the time of the farewell flight).

At the time of writing the latter A380 is in storage somewhere. Its fate is uncertain.

The single Hi-Fly A380 was retired a week or so ago. That was an ex-SIA A380. It was 14 years old. Its fate is also uncertain.

[Inquisitive]

[postquote quote=1004257][/postquote]
There are some airlines, where economy seats are better in A380 than other aircraft of the same airline.

At one point I had to travel London – Singapore every 3 months for about 3 years. Around same time SQ started their A380 flight. I always made sure that I am booked in one of the A380 flight both ways – the other option was B777-300.
Even if the business class seats and service levels were same, the flight experience in A380 is much better – mainly from minimal noise and stability during air turbulence.
I also like the Emirates A380. The bar is a novel design and excellent idea. It was very useful for me during long haul trip to cut some boredom. And you can have good chat with other passengers and the bar-person.

I am pretty sure SQ and Emirates will keep A380 for another 10 years or so. I will always book those if my travel plan/route allows.

I also think, A380 has the potential in the future, if social distancing become new permanent norm, as that aircraft could still have significant number of seats if economy seats must have space across each seat.

7 users thanked author for this post.

cwoodward, Polly, Jacob, AMcWhirter, Johnnyg, tomwjsimpson, DerekVH

[AMcWhirter]

Today MAS announces the retirement of its A380s.

Malaysia Airlines to retire its A380s

2 users thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver, DerekVH

[cwoodward]

Its a mystery to me why Malaysian ever purchased the aircraft as it always seemed tome to be unsuited to their loss making operation.
In contrast Qantas is said, on some industry forums to be readying its 6 refurbished A380s for return to service in August. Alan Joyce the CEO has also recently confirmed the intention to continue with the A380 fleet.

1 user thanked author for this post.

esselle

[AMcWhirter]

Korean Airlines is the latest to say it will be retiring its A380 fleet in the coming years.

The full news piece lies behind a paywall.

https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/korean-air-chief-eyes-transformational-years-beyond-covid-19/145131.article

But today’s tweet from the AirbusA380fanclub notes the CEO’s comments.

Oh boy. @KoreanAir_KE will retire all 10 @Airbus A380s within the next 5 years, its CEO tells @FlightGlobal pic.twitter.com/16Mk8hF0l4

— AirbusA380fanclub (@AA380fanclub) August 19, 2021

1 user thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver

[Author]

Posts