KUALA LUMPUR: European airframe manufacturer Airbus SE expressed confidence its superjumbo, the A380, will remain relevant in commercial aviation, particularly in the secondary market where the aircraft can be leased or acquired at attractive rates.
The A380 also provides opportunities for new entrants or new business models to capture growth and market share, fuelled by its superior comfort, capacity and great economics, an Airbus spokesman told NST Business.
“Since its launch, the A380 has been the unprecedented comfort leader. Passengers love the aircraft and the A380 has a loyal following globally.
“Larger capacity aircraft such as the A380 is the only solution for growth going forward,” Airbus said, adding that airlines have shown interest in the company’s ongoing campaigns.
The company also plans to deliver 12 A380s this year, followed by eight in 2019 and six from 2020, which is the industrially sustainable baseline.
“As of June 2018, there are 331 A380s on order with 17 airlines. We also have delivered 228 A380s to date,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dubai-based airline Emirates, the largest A380’s operator, said it has every confidence in the aircraft remains popular with its passengers.
“Everywhere we operate, the Emirates A380 attracts consumer demand for our industry-leading inflight experience in all cabin classes, and is welcomed by local economies as a contributor to tourism and visitor growth,” Emirates country manager Malaysia, Abdalla Al Zamani told NST Business.
Emirates began its A380 operations on August 1 2008, and this year marks its 10th anniversary since the airline first commercial A380 service.
“Over 105 million passengers have flown on the Emirates A380 since it first joined Emirates’ modern fleet. Emirates A380s currently fly to 49 destinations, spanning Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas,” he said, adding that Emirates A380 services have visited 73 airports globally.
The airline will launch the A380 services to Osaka and Hamburg in October this year. To date, Abdalla said there are 104 A380 aircraft in Emirates’ fleet, with additional 58 more pending delivery.
He pointed out that the aircraft has become an integral part of the Emirates fleet, especially on long-haul high-traffic routes.
“Emirates regularly reviews route plans and adapts its business approach in accordance with market demands. We will continue to evaluate its operations around the world and we will launch new routes or deploy our flights to serve market demand according to commercial priorities and operational factors,” he added.
Emirates operates into Malaysia using A380 and B777-300ER. Depending on operational requirements, the airline operates either the three-class (519 seats) or two-class (615 seats) configured A380.
“We are always looking for ways to further enhance our presence in this market. We will continue to seek opportunities that help us capture future growth, unlock new markets, and provide valuable air connectivity to travellers and economies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said the A380 continues to play an important role in its operations and anticipated the superjumbo services for many years to come.
“In 2017, we took delivery of the first of five new A380s to be fitted with our latest cabin products for this aircraft type. We will also be fitting the new cabin products on 14 of our A380 aircraft that are currently in service,” SIA spokesperson told NST Business.
The airline has 18 A380s in operation and expected the last of its five new orders for the A380 later to be delivered early this month, which will bring the number to 19.
“Our A380s currently serve Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney and Zurich,” he said.
He said the initiative was taken to reaffirm its belief in the importance of the A380 to the airline’s future growth and network expansion plans.
“SIA made history in October 2007, when we became the world’s first airline to operate the A380. The first commercial flight was between Singapore and Sydney,” he added.