The more important question might be: Where will these planes be deployed to?

They need to balance the network, so it would likely be Europe or South America. Maybe we'll finally see MEX, PTY, and KEF.

While I'm sure it is, given QR cancelled part of their A350 order, ordered 787s due to delivery delays, Im not sure how realistic a swap that would be.

Will they be deployed anywhere? I've said it for a while - they have too many large aircraft already, and more are still being delivered. There are another 50 A380s to arrive - although some will replace older A380s.

No choice but to cancel A380 and 77W. Tell Boeing: "That's what you get with Trump in the White House".

EK got its first A380 in 2008, with 12 year cycle they need replacements in 2020.

Assuming it takes one a month for next four years, it will have close to 130xA380s before first one retires in 2020.

Also they had total only 20 until 2011(avg 5/yr), so substantial retirements start only in 2024.

Lot of planes, Timmy, lot of planes.

As sad as it would be I think cancelling some Boeing orders would be the best option for EK, both in terms of financial viability as well as to make a political statement.

Always been a Boeing fan and would love to see some 787s at EK, but the overcapacity is becoming very evident. Clearly EK was banking on continued growth and is stagnating hard. MEX I think may be an option, as well as some European destinations. They may try harder to negotiate more seats to India though the Indian government has been quite staunch in their refusal thus far. Perhaps China would be a growth market, not just in terms of more capacity on existing routes but opening new routes.

I landed in DXB this morning and saw at least a dozen A380s parked in remote stands with no step ladders in sight. Not sure whether they're short on aerobridges or already have too many planes.

looks like the surviving LAX flight is the A380 215/216, SEA is 229/230

Is this confirmed? I am booked on EK218 out of LAX on July 9th and the booking remains intact.

A related question, does anyone have any idea how bad I'm going to get it being on a JAL award ticket in first? Will they automatically rebook in first on EK216 or require JAL to process it and, in that case, require award seats to be available (which there currently are not)? That also pushed my layover to 16 hours from 8 hours so similar question - will they be able to rebook a different connecting flight if no award availability?

I was just looking up the schedule to book new flights (in December), and the only flights that come up are 215/216. Checking July 9th, the only flight bookable is EK216.

And this is Emirates' problem. They've got so many 380's they have to use them even though the demand may not warrant their use...

Big rethink going on at Emirates HQ...

I hope they keep the A380 on until Mid December. First Class on the 777 just doesn't quite have the same appeal.

Maybe we can finally get an A380 at GLA... or a 3rd daily. :D

I know most everybody on this forum enjoys bashing the current US Administration, but this smells more like EK finding a convenient excuse to retreat after over saturating markets, which is exactly what their US competitors have been saying all along.

I will go out on a limb and say that the laptop is just a convenient excuse ....

Oh wait, the poster above me is saying the same thing :)

I am surprised about LAX though; it serves a huge area, including people in LAS and PHX