Revelation wrote:dtw2hyd wrote:One option for long term survival of A380 is to form an alliance and have one large scale premium ACMI operator acceptable to AF,LH,BA and other airlines around the world.
If so called legacy premium carriers can check-in their egos at the door, so does EK, it could be the ACMI operator. And unions have to agree.
Seasonal upgrades stagger around the world, and it is a perfect plane. Keeping it throughout the year on books is a financial burden on any airline.
It is far from a perfect plane. It is just barely workable on the few trunk routes that can support it at all.
Just to add:
Slots are not so precious to make the A380 needed beyond a few routes. 3X A350-1000 or 779 will do the same job as 2x A380.
Those 3x A350-1000 or 779 will cost less to fly
Assumes 779 meets goal of 10% lower cost per seat, that means less cost per seat than the A388:
https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/ ... t-aircraftNow I'm not getting into detail on the A350-1000 as that would just end up A vs. B, but what I will state is either could replace the A380, carry more people, more cargo, and save money.
Slots aren't so precious that BA won't give up A319 slots for more 777s or A350s.
Same with ANA or JAL in Tokyo (ok, ANA will probably fly their A388s for a few years, but only those)
AF already retired the type
The only airline to discuss A380 is the one wed to the A380, Emirates. They have no choice. They cannot afford to replace the fleet.
That doesn't bring in hub bypass. I do not want to hub. I cannot imagine anyone who does in this Covid19 world. When required, minimize the time in the hub.
As already noted:
VirginFlyer wrote:Retaining- China Southern
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
Retiring- Air France
- Etihad
- Lufthansa
Unclear- Asiana/Korean
- ANA
- British Airways
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Thai Airways
And of that last list, it is likely that around half won't return. It really is astounding how quickly COVID-19 has brought forward the shrinking of the fleet.
V/F
A few airlines retaining the type will be interesting. What will be fascinating is the maintenance costs going forward. The A380 is supporting two engines and isn't a high volume airframe, so vendors will demand a profit to supply parts and making low volume parts is pricey.
Emirates also is exiting Covid19 in a different world. In particular IST. The new IST now has three runways and a debugged operation.
The new Emirates will face Ethiopian also taking some of the Africa bound traffic
I'd write something about Indian airport construction, but I cannot find great evidence the airport projects are moving forward (Navi-Mumbai, Navi-Delhi, airport expansion).
I see airport expansion being used to exit the economic "funk" Covid19 caused. e.g., China will focus on Daxing. The US is expanding SLC, DEN, and other airports. Emirates has its role, but a lower cost per flight A350, 787, or A321xLR will be used to bypass all hubs.
Emirates has no choice. They cannot afford to replace aircraft too quickly nor build out DWC. So they will fly A380s. Now I think profitably. But not dominantly like before.
Lightsaber