DIA From United States, joined Jan 2001, 3232 posts, RR: 41 Posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 6840 times:
Besides the current list of A380 customers who include Fedex, Emirates, Air France, among a few others . . . . .what currently existing airlines are likely to look into purchasing these giants in the future who are not on the "sign-up" list yet?
I ask this, because it seems to me that Airbus has shown a great future forecast for the A380. . .but just what airlines are they expecting to bit that haven't bitten already?
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Scorpio From Belgium, joined Oct 2001, 4461 posts, RR: 34 Reply 3, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6572 times:
South African Airways is apparently very interested (order for 4 plus 4 options is rumoured).
Air China looks like a strong candidate too (some say they'll take some of the ILFC ones). Traffic to and from China is expected to grow dramatically in the coming years, so they'll need them.
The Japanese carriers (JAL, ANA) can not be overlooked. Both have said they're not buying them just yet, but have said they'll seriously have to consider them in the not too distant future.
British Airways: Don't expect them to be getting any any time soon, but a few years down the line I think they'll need them.
CHRISBA777ER From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 4351 posts, RR: 52 Reply 4, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6528 times:
Here are my thoughts.
Besides Malaysian, Qatar, Emirates, Virgin, Qantas, Lufthansa, Air France, Fed-Ex, Korean, SIA and the rest -
* A much de-rated version with super high density seating arrangement for JAL and ANA - they wont buy it though - Boeing will not stand for it.
* Asiana (existing airbus customer) to buy them because Korean have.
* ANZ to get a small number (four?) for the SA)">AA), New Zealand">AKL-SA - California">LAX-LHR run.
* Air India as part of the Airbus widebody deal they just signed, to buy them for the LHR run - and on to New York. Loads could support it, and they will want a shiny new thing to take the gloss off the PIA triple sevens.
* Cathay Pacific - not sure if the ILFC planes are due for CX, but if they are not, CX should certainly be interested.
* China Eastern - Big widebody airbus user, and keen to establish credibility on world stage for upcoming entry into a major alliance.
* Iberia - bound to order them eventually, for Latin American flights.
* Thai - could fill one easily to LHR daily.
* SA)">NW -Could use the capacity to the far east - and a airbus widebody user, very happy with the A333 thus far apparently.
* Eva Air - mixed order of Freighters and pax - they certainly could fill it, and i would be surprised if they didnt get them at some stage.
* China Airlines - possible.
* South African - LHR and FRA routes almsot a certainty.
* One low-cost carrier - cheap fares across the atlantic - only really do-able and economical in plane that big - not as far fetched as it may sound.
Airlines i CANT see ordering the plane...
* BA - No way. 773ER, and 7E7 maybe...
* El-Al - European plane - aint gonna happen.
* SA)">AA - Nope.
* SA)">DL - Never.
* SA)">UA - Cant afford it, not to mention the fact that the plane is not made in America.
* KLM - Could fill it to SA and the Caribbean, but 773ER more likely.
Worldwide From United States, joined Nov 2003, 35 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6503 times:
I know this is a long shot, but how about NWA northwest? They are already well on their way to converting to an all Airbus fleet! Not to mention, with the extensive Pacific routes, the A380 might just be the B744 replacement they need.
NWA330Tony From United States, joined Nov 2003, 114 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6448 times:
I think NWA could possibly aquire a couple maybe 5-10yrs down the line but dont expect them to enter passenger service as the only way i see NWA purchase is to phase out the remaining B742 in thier Cargo Fleet. but thats just might opinion!
Motech722 From United States, joined Aug 2003, 187 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6383 times:
CHRISBA777ER, I like your outlook on the A380. I think those listed definitely could get the plane in the future. I do think though that UAL could also be a potential customer in the future too. At the moment UAL can't afford it, but if the airline comes out of Chapter 11 and becomes a lean, mean, fighting machine, perhaps in the future they too would consider it. I also think NWA would be a potential candidate. In fact, I'd venture to speculate that any airline that currently operates the B747 would be a potential candidate for the A380 in the future.
ORD2PHL From United States, joined Oct 2003, 260 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 6337 times:
As for UA purchasing only US products, you might want to look at their healthy fleet of A319/320 family of aircraft that they purchased in lieu of persuing the 37NG. I would agree though, the A380 maybe quite aways away for UAL if at all but would make sense for their US-> Asia routes.
MD80Nut From United States, joined Jul 2003, 813 posts, RR: 7 Reply 10, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 6261 times:
I believe the A380 will pick up some new customers once it enters service. There's probably quite a few potential customers waiting to see how the airplane works out before taking the plunge.
UA wouldn't buy the A380 because it isn't made in America? Where was their large fleet of A320s and A319s (one of the largest if not the largest A320 family operators) built then, Renton???? ?
Jaws707 From United States, joined Aug 2001, 668 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 6199 times:
Also if Fed Ex has sucess with the A380, I would expect Fed Ex to convert their options to orders, and I would definately expect UPS to order the plane. Each carrier might have 20-25 A380's eventually.
CHRISBA777ER From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 4351 posts, RR: 52 Reply 12, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 6174 times:
The UA / Europe thing - Sorry i forgot about that - i was thinking of the DL buying policy, and said UA instead - apologies.
Of the US airlines, i can see Northwest being the most likely candidate.
I dont agree that any 747 operator could fill a A380.
Philippines - doubt it.
Air Pacific - doubt it.
Aerolineas Argentinas
RAM
Egyptair - actually, they could not be as far fetched as first thought now i think of it.
Air Canada - Nope.
PIA - Just had a big 777 order - could easily fill it up, possibly more easily than any other airline, but big boeing order will have scuppered that I think.
Saudi - Doubtful - same as above.
Moolies From , joined today!, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 6022 times:
SAA i dont think will order them, I think they will do what they have done with there current airbus order. There is a possibility that not every airline that has ordered them will take them up and that is where SAA come in. They get them cheaper than normal price.
A388 From Netherlands Antilles, joined May 2001, 5040 posts, RR: 8 Reply 14, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 5987 times:
I'm not that familiar with all airlines, but have to agree with most members here who focus on airlines who operate in and out of Asia. The A380 targets the Asian market, so there are still quite some candidates who haven't ordered any A380 sized aircraft, but I also think we must not forget Boeing as it appears they are working on a new growth variant of the 747-400ER with the engines of the 7E7 already being mentioned as potential new engines for the new 747. I still don't believe Boeing won't come up with a direct competitor for the A380 as the large aircraft market will become very attractive as soon as the aviation slump is over.
I only have my doubts about Iberia being able to operate a A380 profitably all year round. Is the Latin American market so big to support A380 operations all year through? I think the A340-600 and most likely the A340-600HGW or even the A340-500(HGW) will be more interesting for Iberia.
I also don't see any U.S. airline order the A380 in the near furure as their strategies are more focused on frequency rather than capacity. But than again slot restriction might force some airlines to order larger aircraft to be able to compete with airlines who already have ordered the A380. So it's really a matter of who is right, Boeing (more frequency) or Airbus (more capacity). Boeing's 7E7 and 777-300ER and maybe the 777-200LR will become very succesfull aircraft as these aircraft are becoming increasingly more popular with airlines around the world.
MD80Nut From United States, joined Jul 2003, 813 posts, RR: 7 Reply 15, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 5992 times:
I agree with you, if any US airline buys the A380 for pax use it will probably be NWA. Their Asian routes make them a very likely candidate. I also think if UA can improve it's economic situation, they might be a good A380 candidate since they also have Asian/Pacific routes.
Once the A380 enters service I believe there will be more interest from airlines waiting to see how it works. I also think once airlines start to recover from the current slump you'll see more of them consider it.
Kl911 From Netherlands, joined Jul 2003, 2767 posts, RR: 12 Reply 16, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 5930 times:
Any chance of KLM flying MRS-AMS with the A380? That would be my best day! return after a days hard work having a bar and a smoking room at your disposal, instead of connecting at 'lovely, effective, friendly, nice' CDG
Leskova From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 5938 posts, RR: 73 Reply 17, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 5873 times:
I expect quite a few airlines will, at some point, simply be somewhat forced into buying the A380 or, if they decide to build it, the 747 with 7e7 features.
The main point for that arguement is that there are some routes operating at more or less maximum capacity at the moment, where more frequencies are simply not an option, due to either slot constraints at one or both ends, as well as due to curfews at airports.
As far as I remember, the Western Europe to Japan routes were often enough mentioned as candidates for A380s (which would fit perfectly into the often expressed view that most A380s will be operating into Asia) because of precisely this reason.
I'm not sure how this looks from the US, but I guess the slot constraints at NRT and KIX will probably limit expansion quite effectively.
While I expect that the use of 773ER, 772LR, 346 and 345 will probably take a bit of pressure off these - and other - congested hubs, but I doubt that this will be enough to take away the need for some routes to be switched to aircraft with higher capacity.
Solnabo From Sweden, joined Jan 2008, 106 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 5680 times:
JAL, both longhoul and domestic would
gain with A 388 and later 388SR/domestic
more pax, and 388LR longhoul.........
Perfect a/c for Japan!!!
(shame that they´re married to US)
Motorhussy From New Zealand, joined Mar 2000, 2023 posts, RR: 7 Reply 20, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 5631 times:
Air New Zealand would fill A380's on their daily return flights AKL-LAX-LHR and their 744's will be getting tired in five years time. They'd also be perfect for their slot restricted AKL-NRT flights. That's four A380's by my calculations.
Replacement for the rest of the 744 fleet can be done with A346's.
RayChuang From United States, joined Jun 2000, 6870 posts, RR: 6 Reply 21, posted (4 years 11 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 5577 times:
If Airbus can build a "Combi" version of the A380-800, they might just interest quite a few airlines to buy this plane. Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Asiana Airways, and possibly Korean Air might want this version of the A388.
As for future A388 passenger version customers, I think we will see Iberia order the plane by 2006, and in the end British Airways will need to order the plane so they can compete against Virgin Atlantic Airways and Singapore Airlines.
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