Northstar

6 | www.travelweekly-asia.com DATA BANK When the A380 was launched with its first customer Singapore Airlines, the aircraft was ground-breaking not just with its extra in-cabin space but innovations in the design and systems that included 380 new patents. At the moment, with regular upgrades, the A380 seats 525 on board. And Airbus is offering a solution that gives passengers a new class option - premium economy. To date, 300 A380s have been sold. Passengers love them. "There are 13 airlines flying the A380. One airline, Emirates, has 59 A380s in operation today. In fact every four minutes 24/7 an A380 is landing or taking off somewhere in the world," says John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer, customers. However, last year not a single airline placed an order for the world's two biggest commercial jets, the Boeing 747-8 and the double- decker Airbus A380. Analysts argue that the improvement in twin-engined planes, which are able to fly farther and are more fuel-efficient than their four-engined competitors, is hastening the demise of the bigger aircraft. Airbus is unmoved and believes the A380 is a 40-50 year programme. Airbus says with air traffic doubling in size every 15 years, and in some parts of Asia in less time than that, "airlines understand that the biggest aircraft on the market is the only solution to generate extra revenue and maximise use of congested airports with limited slots". Leahy adds, "The A380 is about twice the size of a 787 or even our own A350, so we have 350s to compete with the 787. But no airline in the world would think that an A380 and 787 are comparable aircraft and could be substituted for each other. "You would need two 787 flights to handle the passengers on one A380 and it would cost you more money and you would burn more fuel and you would make more noise. "In the future, with the rise in global prosperity and with an emerging middle class in Asia and Africa that will want to fly, the A380 will become essential in emerging markets like Africa and revolutionise mature ones like the United States," Leahy adds. "Traffic is doubling every 15 years. This has been happening since the dawn of the jet age. It will, if anything, accelerate. Parts of Asia are doubling every 10 years. People say there are areas of the world like Africa where you will never use an A380 but I beg to differ. There are Source: infographic from Airbus. TEN YEARS ON: A380 IS LOVED BY FLIERS, BUT NOT SO MUCH BY AIRLINES A380s flying to South Africa as I speak. The A380 will be flying on every continent with virtually every international major airline. It's just a matter of time," Leahy says.

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