In February 2019, Airbus announced it would end A380 production by 2021, after its main customer, Emirates, agreed to drop an order for 39 of the aircraft, replacing it with 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s.
People Also Ask
Passengers on the inaugural flight were treated to A380-themed souvenirs, symbolizing just how big of a milestone this was for not just for the airline, but for the entire aviation industry: Airbus had announced in 2019 it would cease production on the model, delivering the last one in 2021.
Range and flexibility. Surprisingly, for all its size, the A380 can't go as far as the A350. The A350-1000 can travel more than 1,000 km (540 NM) further than the A380. Singapore Airlines has a special 'ultra-long-range' (ULR) A350-900, which operates on the longest route in the world, from Singapore to New York JFK.
For one, the Airbus A380 has almost double the space onboard compared to the Boeing 777 series, thanks to its second level. This means the airline can afford to be a little more abundant with its first class and business class offerings onboard the A380 compared to the Triple Seven.
With the rise of low-cost carriers and point-to-point travel, smaller planes that can fly to more destinations are becoming more popular. As a result, airlines are retiring their A380s and replacing them with smaller, more versatile aircraft.
The Airbus A350 was developed in response to Boeing's successful 787 Dreamliner, aiming to offer equal or better range and efficiency. The aircraft features a wider cabin compared to the 787, allowing for high-density configurations if desired, and boasts quieter cabins and optimized air quality.
While the 777X offers unrivalled dimensions, advanced materials, and cutting-edge engine technology, the A350 shines with its lightweight composite airframe, advanced aerodynamics, and superior fuel efficiency.
The global A350 fleet had completed more than 1,175,000 flights on more than 1070 routes without accidents. It succeeds the A340 and competes against Boeing's large long-haul twinjets: the Boeing 787, the Boeing 777, and its successor, the 777X.
So why has Airbus decided to kill it? The main reason the company will halt production of A380 after 12 years, from 2021, is the low number of planes sold. “In the end, you have to face facts, and we could see that we were building A380s faster than people were ordering them,” Lange says.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “The A380 is a truly special aircraft in so many ways. For Emirates, it gave us the opportunity to redefine the travel experience, efficiently serve demand at slot-constrained airports, and bolster our network growth.
The arrival of the A380 in 2007 was poorly timed. The price of jet fuel had begun to creep up, and by 2007 was floating at around $4 a gallon. This made airlines shy away from the expensive to operate four engine jets of the 80s and 90s, and to look instead to fuel efficiency as a major deciding factor.
Now that the pandemic seems under control, the great queens of the sky are making a comeback. Etihad, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas, British Airways and other airlines, including new start-up Global, are putting the A380 back to work.
Since its introduction, the A380 has established a strong safety record and is regarded as one of the safest aircraft in the world. The aircraft has been involved in only two significant incidents since its introduction – a 2011 crash in France and a 2016 tyre burst incident in Australia.
The amortization of the original investment was not considered in this equation. Based on this information, we can assume that the Airbus A380 program never turned a profit when we consider the huge investment the aircraft manufacturer made to start the program.
On an Airbus A350, you can be flying at 35,000 to 40,000 feet, but the cabin will be at around 5,500 feet. (On a conventional aluminium aircraft, the cabin will be around 8,000 feet.) This helps with the effects of jet lag and how you feel after a flight too. It's less fatiguing.
The Bottom Line: The Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 are very similar aircraft, suited for similar missions. As one would expect, the slightly larger A350-900 has a seat-mile cost advantage, while the 787-9 has an advantage in cost per block hour. These aircraft are competitive, and nearly tie in economic performance.
It has been reported that the A350 is quieter than the B787, primarily due to the automatic Noise Abatement Departure Procedure (NADP) for the optimization of the engine thrust and flight path to reduce noise and the fuel-efficient engine. The other giant airplane, A380, is also known to have a quiet cabin.
They had very low bypass ratios and as a result, were noisy and thirsty beasts. Over the years the size of those first stage fans has grown – as has the percentage of bypass gas – to the point today where the A350 Trent XWB engine is a true giant, and the bigger the engine, the more efficient and quiet it is.
A total of 251 Airbus A380s were built and delivered for civil aviation. How many A380s are still flying? As of May 2023, about 130 A380s are in service - but several airlines plan to reactivate more aircraft during the year.