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A380 does not work for United: CFO
United Airlines chief financial officer John Rainey says the Airbus A380 “doesn’t really work” for the airline’s network, driving its preference for smaller widebodies like the Boeing 787. “We’ve looked at that and we are looking at it right now [but] it just doesn’t really work for us,” he says on the European superjumbo in an exclusive interview with Flightglobal in Chicago today. (www.flightglobal.com) Plus d'info...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
What the heck has that got to do with the article at hand??? United doesnt want a huge plane like the 380 when 2 smaller craft can do a better, cheaper job...oh and 1 of those jets is the A350
flightA380
Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways are flying multiple flights per day to US destinations like JFK, LAX and others, with at least one of these flights serviced by the A380. The A380's are almost always fully booked because objectively it is a great plane. Therefore the arguments offered by the United FO are dictated by the preference for a US made plane rather than a European made plane. I thought United management would be more objective. Very disappointing
I do not know where you got your info for A380's being almost always fully booked..If I have a craft that seats 850 people in it and its not 850 seats full, Im losing money..United does have an order in for Airbus A350 which can seat up to 440 people...and out of all the airports in the US, only 11 can handle and want the thing landing at their airport..remember, its not all about the aircraft itself, but about the logistics of their airports being able to/wanting to handle something that big
A quick look at the number of seats on A380 as shown on SeatGuru gave me the following:
Qatar
First 8, Business 48, Economy 461, total 517
Air France
First 9, Business 80, Premium Economy 38, Economy 389, total 516
British Airways
First 14, Club World 97, Premium Economy 55, Economy 303, total 469
Lufthansa
First 8, Business 98, Economy 420, total 617
Quantas
First 14, Business 64, Premium Economy 35, Economy 371, total 484
Singapore
First 12, Business 60, Economy 399, total 471
Nowhere near 850 seats.
Qatar
First 8, Business 48, Economy 461, total 517
Air France
First 9, Business 80, Premium Economy 38, Economy 389, total 516
British Airways
First 14, Club World 97, Premium Economy 55, Economy 303, total 469
Lufthansa
First 8, Business 98, Economy 420, total 617
Quantas
First 14, Business 64, Premium Economy 35, Economy 371, total 484
Singapore
First 12, Business 60, Economy 399, total 471
Nowhere near 850 seats.
We know..850 is max number Airbus is certified for..it was an analogy..interesting isnt it...you pay $320 million for an aircraft and only put in say BA 469 seats...oh and Lufthansa has 3 different configurations..the 1 u listed is 526 seats...I can buy 2 A350-800 (the smallest ) fill both planes with 552 people total (276 passengers typical layout in this craft), only costs me $305 to purchase both craft, cost less per nautical mile (still cheaper to fly both craft than 1 A380)
I think most A380 flying the Atlantic or Pacific will have around 600 seats. 850 is the maximum the A380 is certified for.
Likewise a superb aircraft like the A380 gets slagged off or "buffed".
Might I just ask how many buffer duffers have actually experienced flying on/in a 380 ? take off and in flight ?.
Suck it up all you Boeing junkies, there are good/great planes being made this side of the pond.