Why no A380 for CX?
Feb 19, 2019, 12:41 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,848
And now because Airbus are shutting down production 
https://www.theguardian.com/business...-of-superjumbo
https://www.theguardian.com/business...-of-superjumbo
Dec 15, 2019, 3:55 am
#17
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
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Posts: 19,801
1. Cargo = 22% of CX revenue
2. Reduce frequency
3. Cascading intra-Asia delays, reacommodating large aircraft IRROPs
4. High yield night departure, low day departure ("staff travel express")
2. Reduce frequency
3. Cascading intra-Asia delays, reacommodating large aircraft IRROPs
4. High yield night departure, low day departure ("staff travel express")
Dec 17, 2019, 1:46 pm
#19
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
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Pretty much. CX isn't EK. You need EK level of scale (or what BA did for the 744) to make a fleet of jumbos work.
The fact that nobody is ordering 380s aside from EK or 748s at all (and both would be perfectly viable successors to 744s) speaks for itself.
The fact that nobody is ordering 380s aside from EK or 748s at all (and both would be perfectly viable successors to 744s) speaks for itself.
Dec 17, 2019, 7:49 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
Are you saying that the volume of traffic in CX's network is still too small to operate A380's?
Dec 18, 2019, 8:11 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: ATL
Programs: Skypass, IHG
Posts: 161
Not as profitable as twin engine long haul planes like B777, B787, A350. I read somewhere some years ago that a then 20 years passenger jets demand study by Boeing on the super jumbo vs efficient twin engine jets was a factor in focusing on 787, instead of a competitor to A380. Turns out Boeing is right on this.
Dec 20, 2019, 3:38 pm
#22
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CX could probably make it work on the fleet like SQ does, but other options work better.
Dec 20, 2019, 6:49 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
The last decade of sales results for jumbos speaks for itself. If other airlines thought the A380/748 was a winner, you’d see more airlines buying them. Outside of EK and NH (the latter basically doing it because of a legal obligation), nobody is buying jumbos in recent years. SQ is sending theirs back with plenty of life left in the frame as opposed to expanding the fleet. Same with AF, except they are dumping theirs.
CX could probably make it work on the fleet like SQ does, but other options work better.
CX could probably make it work on the fleet like SQ does, but other options work better.
Dec 21, 2019, 1:16 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SYD | HGH
Programs: CX DM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,121
Maybe oil is cheaper at DXB? so flying a A380 half empty cost similar as other carriers flying A330s.
Dec 21, 2019, 2:32 am
#25
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EK itself isn't able to take any more A380 - its final A380 orders were replaced with A330neo and A350 aircraft. Hub and spoke model less and less profitable https://simpleflying.com/emirates-a380-retirement/
Dec 21, 2019, 2:41 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
I may be in the minority, but I've always felt having more frequent smaller capacity flights from destination to destination was more efficient than running them through hubs. If there's an exception, it would be HKG, I suppose. While it's neat to fly on the newest and "best" equipment, after a while, I mostly just want the shortest and most direct route.
No idea what the future holds, but I'd be very surprised if the super duper jumbo jet run everything through a hub model will flourish over the next 10 or 20 years.
No idea what the future holds, but I'd be very surprised if the super duper jumbo jet run everything through a hub model will flourish over the next 10 or 20 years.
Dec 21, 2019, 4:19 am
#27
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Dec 21, 2019, 12:30 pm
#28
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DXB has scale as a super connector/scissors hub, as mentioned. Works well for Australia/SE Asia-Europe and v.v., and they also work for USA-India, which is an expanding market.
Dec 22, 2019, 7:22 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
Yes, I understand that the middle-east region is perfect for connections. However, why does EK stand out? In theory QR and TK could also benefit from this model, right? Is there something unique about EK?
Dec 22, 2019, 3:45 pm
#30
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EK took a risk and went all-in and expanded quickly. They could make the super hub model work through sheer volume. Qatar is nowhere near the scale of what EK is.
By going point to point in so many cities in Europe and the rest of the world they can really take anyone anywhere they want to go with one stop. TK and QR and EY didn’t scale the way EK did.
By going point to point in so many cities in Europe and the rest of the world they can really take anyone anywhere they want to go with one stop. TK and QR and EY didn’t scale the way EK did.