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Old Jan 18, 2018, 8:20 am
  #14  
thunderlounge
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
Originally Posted by marconess
Must be getting them very cheap I suspect. Makes Airbus look like there is still a need for the 380 (could argue there isnt at the moment).
Originally Posted by DYKWIA
The market has grown a lot in the time the A380 has been available, and yet they've struggled to sell any. I really don't see there being many more orders - none of the US carriers have bought it, and the likes of LH/BA/AF probably have what they need. Maybe a few more to QR?

I was reading something yesterday (cannot remember where specifically at the moment) but it discussed these points and took it a bit further.

A summary of the article was effectively that Airbus would end the A380 program if the deal with EK wasn't made. It went on to say that while Airbus still believed in the frame, it was difficult to maintain the program which they admitted may be ahead of its time. It continued on to discuss the merits of high capacity aircraft and that as the worlds population grows, so does the need for people to get from place to place. Then it remarked that as the passenger counts grow, the facilities/locations are much slower to expand with them. Not to mention that there is only so much sky to go around. Thus their belief that high capacity aircraft is, or will (eventually) become, a much needed option.

I guess where it goes south is that time (for the most part) doesn't seem to be here, or near as drastic as they believe.

I like the plane myself. One of those ugly duckling type of deals that actually kind of grows on you. Whether there really is as much need for it as Airbus wants to believe I cannot say. It seems there is certainly some value in it, else they would never have sold any planes. That demand being enough to keep the program up and running, and make it worthwhile is an entirely different matter all together.

It was an interesting read to say the least. Certainly some food for thought.
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