There goes about half of Airbus' A340-600 sales.
Posted on 04/14/2006 10:31:00 AM PDT by Yo-Yo
Emirates CEO Says Airline May Switch A340 Order To A380s
Fri, 14 Apr '06
Had Deferred On Orders To Wait For More Efficient Plane
It wasn't their first choice... but it's better than nothing. That's the latest word from the chairman of Emirates, who told reporters earlier this week the Dubai-based airline may convert its orders for the slow-selling Airbus A340-600 model (below) to the upcoming A380 superjumbo.
As Aero-News reported last month, Emirates initially told Airbus the carrier would defer its orders for the so-called "High Gross Weight" version of the four-engined A340-600, while Airbus took another look at the design in hopes of making the plane more competitive against the more efficient Boeing 777.
Now, however, local media reports say Emirates may not want to wait for a better A340... and instead, might increase the carrier's standing order for the double-decker superjumbo A380 to compensate.
So, why is Emirates now looking towards the even-larger, thirstier aircraft?
"We require more of the bigger aircraft," said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
There goes about half of Airbus' A340-600 sales.
"Thirsty Smirsty, he have the gas to put in them, infidel."
Aerospace ping
If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
BEST airline in the world. Bar none. Great food, great service, and the hub in Dubai is one of the best airports in the world.
So how much better will the new airport be?
Switching the A340 order to A380s, is probably just the same as cancelling the order. No A380 has yet to be delivered. :)
Cancelling the order? Airbus may as well stop A340 production completely. Why wait 5 or more years to get a four-engined plane that will only be as efficient as the current 777-300ER? I'm sure that by the time an enhanced/high gross weight A340 is certified, Boeing will have improved the performance of its 777's. Why bother getting four-engined planes when ETOPS 240 and 330 will be available?
This really doesn't make much sense. The A380 is twice the seating capacity of the A340 and will only be able to land at major hub airports.
How is that a suitable replacement from a business perspective?
Emirates is already the largest purchaser of A380's, what's another dozen or two A380's to them? Emirates will buy Boeing 777-300ER's instead of A340-600's and replace its A340-500's with 777-200LR's.
Airbus should have replaced the A330 and A340 lines with a clean sheet A350 design. Instead, they are wasting huge sums of money on a reworked obsolete 35 year old fuselage cross-section. The 787 will seat 9 abreast comfortably using seats the same size as those used on a 747-400. The A350 will be very uncomfortable for any tall man sitting in a window seat in a 9-abreast configuration due to the curvature of the fuselage. Airlines specifying 8-abreast seating will have more room for each passenger than on the A300/A330/A340/A350 fuselage cross-section.
That's music to my ears. What you say makes so much sense.
Wonder if any of their assembly problems have to do with all the rioting in France?
"what's another dozen or two A380's to them?"
uhh, a lot, if it means they will just sit around collecting sand unless their is the demand for 600 to 800 people getting on these planes to go somewhere.
Then again, they are a state run airline, and profitability doesn't have to matter right now for them.
I heard in Dubai, the taxis are rolls royces.
Doubling the retail and hotel space. Should be nice.
I wonder if there are more problems airbus is not disclosing or if airbus gave away more incentives (bribes) to save face with the a380.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.