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There seem to be quite a few A380's in the skies around here. Now that some operators have decided that they make sense after all, I wonder if anyone has gone back to Toulouse and suggested they might start production again?

All BA’s fleet are active at the moment, but if Boeing ever decides to deliver any 777X, that’ll probably be the end of them. However Emirats have over a hundred on their hands so probably a longer term plan, as for restarting production no chance.

Woody wrote: ↑

Tue May 23, 2023 1:14 pm

Emirats

I believe that the plan was to use the A380 assembly hall for the 321s. Probably, once the decision was taken to discontinue production, the jigs and tooling would have been broken up.

I've just read the story of the six A380s - half their fleet - that Lufthansa returned (?) to Airbus in 2019 but now need back in service, only they can't have them as they have been 'damaged' while in storage. A strange tale, if true.

Lufthansa sold six A380s to Airbus. Then things went a little wrong

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/trav ... index.html

Funny how life goes. When Lufthansa decided in 2019 to sell nearly half of its A380 fleet back to Airbus, it didn’t know a pandemic would strike the next year. Or that just a few years later, because of “the steep rise in customer demand and the delayed delivery of ordered aircraft,” it would do an about-face and bring the world’s largest passenger plane back into service. Or that while the six A380s earmarked for sale were in storage, they’d suffer storm damage and nearly $14 million would have to be knocked off the $337 million price tag.

That last detail was spotted by the sleuths at aviation magazine aeroTELEGRAPH, while poring over Airbus’ annual report. But the German flag carrier isn’t the only European transport provider to be getting hit in the wallet of late.

PP

Looking up at the sky, as one does after imbibing a Pims or G&T, the most-observed airliners here under LHR departures are firstly the small Airbuses, then small Boeings, then Screamliners, then A380's. The latter tend to depart in pairs for company like plump old ladies visiting the bathroom: BA with an Mrats or Singapore Airlines.... A pleasant sight.

Presumably, the A380s are 'draughting' - think of juggernauts following each other closely, taking advantage of the hole punched by the leading vehicle?

Having flown in them several times I (and SWMBO) loved it for its space(even in economy), comfort and quietness. However, what the customer likes cuts no mustard with the beancounters who REALLY run the airline industry who don't give a flying whotnot for what the customer thinks. We loved our flights in the monster. Sigh.

The Ancient Mariner

Oh did I mention the stand up bar down the back in business? I really liked that.

Rossian wrote: ↑

Mon May 29, 2023 7:12 am

Having flown in them several times I (and SWMBO) loved it for its space(even in economy), comfort and quietness. However, what the customer likes cuts no mustard with the beancounters who REALLY run the airline industry who don't give a flying whotnot for what the customer thinks. We loved our flights in the monster. Sigh.

The Ancient Mariner

Oh did I mention the stand up bar down the back in business? I really liked that.

It took us many attempts to fly JNB-DXB on the 380, and when we finally succeeded we spent most of our time in the bar.

Global Airlines is a UK-based startup airline aiming to begin operations from London to New York and Los Angeles in spring 2024 using a fleet of four Airbus A380s; the company purchased its first aircraft in May 2023 and claims to be the first new airline in eight years to own an A380.

OFSO wrote: ↑

Tue May 30, 2023 6:05 pm

Global Airlines is a UK-based startup airline aiming to begin operations from London to New York and Los Angeles in spring 2024 using a fleet of four Airbus A380s; the company purchased its first aircraft in May 2023 and claims to be the first new airline in eight years to own an A380.

Yes, actually bought it I believe. The first aircraft is a former Singapore Airlines machine, build number 6, and thus about 17 years old, which flew with HiFly Malta for a number of years and was then flown to Lourdes, where it has resided for the past two years. It will probably need a miracle for it to begin trouble-free flying again.

One is reminded of the flying pig:

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Orion-A ... 21/1972607

They say they will begin operations from London, but even if they can get a slot, I imagine LHR or LGW will be too expensive, so it will probably be Stansted. It's not going to be any of the others, is it?

AFAIK only LHR and LGW have the infrastructure to handle the A380, which is going to be yet another huge problem for the newby

If BA or one of the other airlines has 'spare' slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot, perhaps they'd lease it to Global? Or doesn't LHR allow that?

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:48 am

slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot,

Is that a reality?

Shirley the costs of doing that require revenue? - or is the airline prepared to take a financial hit on an ongoing basis to maintain the slot?

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:48 am

If BA or one of the other airlines has 'spare' slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot, perhaps they'd lease it to Global? Or doesn't LHR allow that?

I'm not sure of the current mechanism, but it could be an option I suppose, the obvious danger being that as soon as the incumbent wants it back, you're grounded.

G-CPTN wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 6:44 am

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:48 am

slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot,

Is that a reality?

Shirley the costs of doing that require revenue? - or is the airline prepared to take a financial hit on an ongoing basis to maintain the slot?

I think the fact of the matter is that the slots are now so scarce and therefore valuable, that it's worth doing a non-revenue flight just to hold them. For BA, the positioning flights to and from St Athan and positioning flights in general, help with this.

Some more information.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_slot

tango15 wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 10:21 am

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:48 am

If BA or one of the other airlines has 'spare' slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot, perhaps they'd lease it to Global? Or doesn't LHR allow that?

I'm not sure of the current mechanism, but it could be an option I suppose, the obvious danger being that as soon as the incumbent wants it back, you're grounded.

I would expect that there would be a contract which states that the slot is guaranteed for a specific period of time, which opens up the issue of compensation for breach if the incumbent takes it back sooner. Of course, at the end of the lease period there needs to be an alternative in place, so it just defers airmageddon.

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:54 pm

tango15 wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 10:21 am

llondel wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 2:48 am

If BA or one of the other airlines has 'spare' slots where they fly an aircraft just to keep the slot, perhaps they'd lease it to Global? Or doesn't LHR allow that?

I'm not sure of the current mechanism, but it could be an option I suppose, the obvious danger being that as soon as the incumbent wants it back, you're grounded.

I would expect that there would be a contract which states that the slot is guaranteed for a specific period of time, which opens up the issue of compensation for breach if the incumbent takes it back sooner. Of course, at the end of the lease period there needs to be an alternative in place, so it just defers airmageddon.

I agree, llondel, but anecdotal evidence which I heard a few years ago, concerned a slot was 'lent' to a third party, but with the contractual clause that should the incumbent want it back, it would have to be returned, at relatively short notice, as it were. So glad was the other operator to at least have the slot at all, that they were prepared to agree the terms. (I think the CAA may since have moved to tighten up this arrangement. I confess to being well out of date on the slot-trading merry-go-round now .