Kagehitokiri

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post23346469 >
amedeo ceo : "lowest seat cost economics of anything flying today or in five years.”
what are others saying, after airbus released new/current layout (not original layout)

EY overtaking EK? because abu dhabi is in better financial shape?

a fairly high level aviation industry person (a Brit, both commercial and general aviation) i met suggested it was reused in shower, but i wasnt able to clarify, so dont know

Always Flyin

The shower water is recycled. Used, filtered, reused.

EDIT

Just heard back from my contact in Dubai.

That was the original plan, but according to him, regulators wouldn't allow it so they are using only fresh water for the showers.

Kagehitokiri

did i miss discussion of this on FT?

Always Flyin

Beats me.

I had involvement with the EK A380 development team for a period of time before introduction of the aircraft and the water recycling plan and equipment were explained to me.

If that changed subsequently, and we are talking more than 5-years ago now, I don't know.

EDIT

Info did change. Updated above.

Kagehitokiri

ah. so the press was correct. and the guy i talked to was referring to original plans. thanks.

ibreak4coffee

The prevailing opinion here seems to be since US airlines aren't buying the aircraft and European ones are getting cold feet, it will fail. It will need to work hard to break even for sure, but frankly Asia is going to determine at the end of the day whether this aircraft is a large bust or a success for Emirates. And at some point the gravy train of just building new terminals and airports from scratch will end, and the A380 will look much more compelling.

I've been fortunate enough to fly business on JFK-Dubai and JFK-ICN on the A380, and there is simply no other product that is comparable. US airlines can complain about subsidies, but in their short-term rush to maximize profits by turning into Greyhound, they have lost many of the most profitable premium business travelers on long haul routes. I certainly won't be back, but would consider it if they started flying A380's over the Pacific.

airsurfer

I read this article:

http://www.aviatime.com/en/commercia...380-production

and one of 3 months old:

http://www.businessinsider.com/airbu...uction-2013-10

Why ? I thought it is a succesful plane, but I always wondered that in this modern twinjet age there is market for 4 engine planes.

Airbus already stopped A340 production which is also a quad-engine, which is the only other quad engine after the 45 years old 747 design.

Maybe continuting a twinjet version of the A380 (or will that be actually the A350 ?) Should be possible as a 777-300 has almost the same capacity.

CPRich

With 1/4 the projected sales, and more cancellations than orders this year, defining it as successful is still an open question, IMHO.

UA Fan

Hope not:

http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/11/news...380/index.html

bhrubin

The A380 as it's currently conceived is likely dead. Even if Airbus were to continue production, the writing is on the wall: only Emirates wants the A380. The fact that only Emirates really is willing to invest in the A380 is possibly a reason for its competitors to not invest in it...as the A380 is one of the big reasons why Emirates is so competitive in the markets that it serves. By virtue of all other airlines canceling or reducing A380 orders, these other airlines have put pressure on Emirates by causing the possible cessation of its strategic advantage. With no future A380s, Emirates will have to consider future alternatives that do not give it the same strategic advantage over other carriers...and that helps all of its rivals, both in Europe and the Gulf.

The A380 was dead the moment the biggest airlines in the world--namely, those here in the USA--decided that it wasn't profitable enough for their business model. Emirates alone can't prop up the equipment on its own in such a way that it's lucrative for Airbus by any calculation.

bhrubin

Yes, the US airlines "may have lost many of the most profitable premium business travelers on long haul routes" but they also are the most profitable airlines in the world by a fair margin. The US airlines might not be doing what you or others prefer, but their increasing profits tell a different story. They're crying all the way to the bank...as in, they are are not crying at all. Nor are their investors.

The upcoming Airbus decision on whether or not to continue A380 production at all is further evidence that the A380 is doomed.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...Mile+at+a+Time

The US carriers made the right call for themselves in avoiding the A380. The European carriers made the right call for themselves in canceling their future A380 orders. (Virgin Atlantic, the most likely to go that route, canceled all of theirs, and then essentially joined DL.) In the end, the strategic decision by the US and Euro carriers to avoid the A380 in lieu of other more cost-friendly and long-haul/smaller load options directly challenges the Emirates strategic model and makes it more difficult for Emirates to continue with that same model for the foreseeable future. Without the A380, in about 20-30 years Emirates will have some interesting choices to make.

geminidreams

Emirates also has the largest order for 777X. Spirit just forecast a large profit downgrade due to competition in US. Wont be long before the others do also.

dkjb3t4

http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/11/news...irbus0130story

I hope not.

ScatterX

It's an interesting case study. The initial thrill and novelty is gone, but the plane is still a wonderful thing. But airlines are not in the habit of providing wonderful. It's a bottom line winner or it's not. Unfortunately, the bottom line doesn't look too good. I think it's just a little too big, too short range, too logistically and infrastructuralistically heavy, and there just aren;t that many routes that need fewer flights with twice the load. A major improvement in fuel economy, range, or something similar might get them back in black.

I personally would love to see a 747-1000 series become the worlds work horse. The short-upper-decker is the ONLY one that I have deep historical fondness for and I would love to see it live on forever is grandeur. But, that another story for another day...

the4aces

Not surprising. I thought it would have lasted a bit longer though.