Does anybody know if Continental has some plans to buy the A380? When?

Continental Airlines to Become First Major U.S. Airline to Order the Boeing 7E7
Also Announces Plans to Lease Additional Boeing 757-300s Starting in 2005 and
Accelerates Deliveries of 737-800s Into 2006
HOUSTON, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced that it has reached agreement with Boeing to become the first major U.S. airline to order the Boeing 7E7 aircraft, with the first 7E7 to be delivered in 2009. The company's initial 7E7 order is for 10 aircraft.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041229/DAW018 )

In addition, Continental has agreed to lease eight 757-300 aircraft from Boeing. The 757-300 aircraft will be delivered to Continental beginning in July 2005. Continental has also agreed to accelerate into 2006 the delivery of six Boeing 737-800 aircraft that were previously scheduled to be delivered in 2008. Boeing has agreed to provide backstop lease financing for the 737 aircraft.

"The 7E7 will be an important part of our international growth strategy," said Gordon Bethune, Continental's chairman and CEO. "With it we can continue to differentiate our award winning service and our consistently growing international network."

"The 7E7 is the widebody of the future for Continental and will provide the platform for our long-term international growth," said Larry Kellner, Continental's president and COO. "Leasing these additional 757 and 737 aircraft will be another step in outdistancing our competitors in this rapidly changing environment."

The agreement with Boeing for the 10 7E7 aircraft, the eight 757-300 aircraft, and the acceleration of the six 737-800 aircraft are subject to several conditions, including the approval of Continental's board of directors on or before Feb. 28, 2005, and in the case of the 7E7 agreement, the negotiation of an engine supply arrangement for the 7E7 aircraft acceptable to Continental. The company expects to finalize its $500 million in annual wage and benefit cost reductions by Feb. 28, 2005, and believes it will receive approval from its board for the additional aircraft, provided that the company's business case for the aircraft includes a cost structure that will allow the aircraft to generate a positive return to Continental.

Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline with more than 3,000 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Continental serves 151 domestic and 120 international destinations -- more than any other airline in the world -- and nearly 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 41,000 employees, the airline has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and carries approximately 51 million passengers per year. In 2004, Continental has earned awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. FORTUNE ranks Continental one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America, an honor it has earned for six consecutive years, and also ranks Continental as the top airline in its Most Admired Global Companies in 2004. The carrier won major awards at the 2004 OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Airline of the Year," "Best Airline Based in North America" and "Best Executive/Business Class." For more company information, visit continental.com .

SOURCE Continental Airlines
-0- 12/29/2004
/CONTACT: Corporate Communications of Continental Airlines,
+1-713-324-5080, or [email protected] /
/Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041229/DAW018
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN7
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]/
/Web site: http://www.continental.com
http://www.continental.com/company/news /
(CAL)

CO: Continental Airlines
ST: Texas
IN: AIR TRA LEI
SU: PER

AH-CD
-- DAW018 --
9003 12/29/2004 18:03 EST http://www.prnewswire.com

How many forums are you going to ask this question in? Why not just go to TravelBuzz? They already have plenty of threads on the subject.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=408937
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=408938

I think he wants to get his postings up.

He works for Airbus and is trying to drum up some sales for the A380.

From The Boyd Group's great website, with apologies:

Regarding the A380:

"From Airport Magazine, January/February Issue: "ThyssenKrupp contends a conservative stand layout with two bridges (note: a 747-type gate arrangement) ... will take 45 minutes..." to deplane passengers.

That oughta set real well with the poor clown sitting back there in seat 89F. The A-380 pulls into the gate, and the minutes elapsed between when it stops and when he finally reaches the door of the airplane is roughly the equivalent of the flight time between LGA and Boston. That's nearly 200 miles. But this guy's only going several dozen yards. Great for enhancing hubsite connectivity. Airline planners will be thrilled to pad in an additional 45 minutes of minimum connect time specifically for passengers going to or from an A-380 flight. Great hub efficiency.

But not to worry, WhaleJet fans. ThyssenKrupp goes on to note that the A-380 can be deplaned or enplaned in as little as 24 minutes. All it would take is the installation of just four - count them - four, boarding bridges, including "...a cantilever, over-the-wing bridge (COB) connecting to the lower rear door, (plus) a forward lower deck connection, (plus) another forward bridge connecting to the upper deck..."

Sounds sorta like instructions for do-it-yourself heart bypass surgery."

How many US airlines and airports have the cash to invest just to service this turkey? As a pax, I would avoid an A380 at all costs!

Isn't its target market hub-to-hub long haul international? If so, the 45 minutes isn't going to seem that long.

after a 12 hour long haul it will seem like forever. that 45 minutes will be just enough time for you to get to the baggage carousel so you can wait 6 deep with the other 799 pax.

Baggage won't be a big deal. Everyone will be stuck at immigration.

Just curious... does anyone know what the average deplane time is now for the largest 747 layout?

Many Asian airport gates are setup with two boarding doors, one for FC/BC and one for coach. With dual aisles a 744 boards pretty quick. I would say quicker than a 753.

The A380 will have two floors, two aisles each, thus a total of four aisles. With two entrance doors - I think the boarding will be quicker than many large jets today. The hang up in the boarding process tends to be blocked aisles. Four aisles is going to help.

[QUOTE=lensman]Isn't its target market hub-to-hub long haul international? If so, the 45 minutes isn't going to seem that long.[/QUOTE]

It's not just 45 minutes, its an extra 45 mintues in additon to the normal connection requirements. Can you imagine any airline unloading and sorting out the bags for 500 pax from a single flight in 45 mins? I don't think so....

It's not just 45 minutes, its an extra 45 mintues in additon to the normal connection requirements. Can you imagine any airline unloading and sorting out the bags for 500 pax from a single flight in 45 mins? I don't think so....[/QUOTE]

i couldn't agree more, but please..... do not be fooled into thinking this aircraft will carry 500 pax. it can and will be configured to stuff in 800 suffering travelers. can you say 735....
and now this: EADS, the parent company of Airbus, warned yesterday that sales of its new super-jumbo, the A380, would have to be 20 per cent higher than initially forecast in order for the programme to break even at current exchange rates.

Airbus had said it would need to sell 250 of the 555-seat aircraft to cover costs. The break-even sales figure is now above 300 planes. Orders for the A380 stand at 154.

It is the latest setback for the A380 following the disclosure last year that the cost of developing it could be $1.5bn higher than budgeted - bringing the final bill to $12bn.

i couldn't be happier coa is passing on the 380.... so far

It seems to me from your original quote that ThyssenKrupp is saying that an A380 will take 45 minutes to deplane using two bridges. You seem to be saying in your second statement that it's an extra 45 minutes of connection time (compared to a 744-400 - it's competitor). Does this mean that you contend that a 744-400 can be deplaned in zero minutes? Or am I misunderstanding your original quote?

Would this meet the FAA requirement of emergency exit of the aircraft? Would seem that this size/configuration would be close to failing the egress requirement.