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Yes, the Emirates. They are well positioned to still take advantage of a centralized hub system for which the Airbus is very well suited.
I do believe Airbus was originally financed by the French and British governments to compete against Boeing. Wasn’t fair. Good to see they’re getting theirs.
I admire the engineering to build a plane of that size, but I have never thought it was an attractive aircraft. I always viewed it as a flying beluga whale.
I wonder if it can readily be converted to carry bulky freight. Probably not since the floor frames would add to the structural integrity.
The A380 was the quintessential top-down, bureaucratic committee product.
Kind of like the EU itself
AS much as I admire the airplane....It’s just too expensive to operate,
(4 engines 6 Landing Gears 22 wheels 20 brakes etc)
Compare that to the 777-300 (2 Engines, 3 Landing Gears, 14 wheels, 12 brakes etc)...Maintaining Airplanes are very expensive and airlines (Especially in the US) prefer twin engine birds.
The new 747-8 is having the same problem again due to maintenance cost.
I've flown the A380 several times...a nice aircraft for sure but I'd bet it's no better than the 747-8.
Must say, wife and I flew to France a few years ago on on Air France A380. We were greatly impressed by the cabin crew’s professionalism getting everyone fed quickly. Those guys had it down to a science. I have flown trans-Atlantic in Business-class where the experience was less pleasant. I would fly Air France again in a minute.
I will never forget flying to and from Europe in the early 80’s on Pan Am out of JFK.
The first time I saw a 747 up close I was in complete awe. The fact that Pan Am had 15+ lined up gate after gate after gate just made me so proud to be an American; I was 12.
No plane has before or since awed me like a 747. Probably because I saw it at such a young age.
Even seeing the Concorde on the same tarmac didn’t make me have goosebumps watching it take flight.
They tried to compete with Boeing’s B747 and the B777ER and lost.
That's a really softball question.
Charter operations - they will be great for packing in Muzzis making the Haj to Mecca from third world hell holes. Just eat the capital costs of ripping out the kitchens and luggage compartments to greatly increase the seating.
Stand the 380 up vertically and turn it into an apartment building.
The three engine Falcon! ... I love the extra engine for safety..I never liked two engine jets and I don't like single prop light craft either.
The Falcon is not the fastest corporate jet...that would be the CitationX at 700mph and 52,000ft...Trump has one.
They guessed wrong on that one. Didn’t help that you have to remodel your airport to accommodate the beast. Now it is a niche product that few airlines can fill to capacity.
Emirates flys a bunch of them, and IIRC they just ordered a few more
Airlines are more interested in the A350XWB-1000 and 777-8/9 as 747 replacements. Mostly because it doesn’t require expensive dual-level jet bridges.