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FedEx explains A380 cancellation

Old 12-04-2006, 12:07 PM
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Default FedEx explains A380 cancellation

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles...cellation.html

FedEx Express cites "ongoing uncertainties over the delivery schedule" for its decision last week to cancel its order for up to 20 Airbus A380 Freighters and sign for Boeing 777Fs instead.

FedEx was to be launch customer for the A380 Freighter, holding firm orders for 10 Engine Alliance GP7200-powered aircraft and options for at least a further 10. The freighters were due to arrive from August 2008 but, under last year's rescheduling, first deliveries had slipped to early 2009. After the most recent production delays, deliveries had slipped by "at least" another year and FedEx was forced to make the "very difficult decision" to cancel, says its managing director aircraft development, acquisitions and sales, David Sutton.

"We had six A380s due in 2009 - almost a million pounds of lift - and the uncertainty of the schedule caused by the delay affected our ability to fulfil our lift requirements," he says. "We lost confidence in Airbus's ability to deliver when it said it would, and there was the prospect of further delays."

The switch to the 777F (powered by General Electric GE90s) for its international services involves an order for 15 aircraft for delivery from 2009, and 15 options. Sutton says that although the twinjet's payload and volume is much lower than the A380F's, the switch could enable the carrier to operate more direct services. Sutton does not rule out the prospect of FedEx returning to the ultra-large A380 in the future. "I never say 'never'," he says.

The cancellation leaves two A380F customers - United Parcel Service with 10 orders and International Lease Finance with five.

Now it's just UPS, ILFC switched its order to passenger versions today leaving UPS the lone outstanding customer for the A380F.
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Old 12-04-2006, 12:42 PM
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One left, soon to be none left.
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Old 12-04-2006, 01:30 PM
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Like a little puppy UPS will drop their order as well.
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Old 12-04-2006, 01:37 PM
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The leasing company modified their order from freighters to passenger aircraft today.
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Old 12-04-2006, 01:54 PM
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I once heard rumor that Denver was the only airport that could support the A380. This was a couple years ago. Has this changed? Is it mostly for overseas routes?
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Old 12-04-2006, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by ToiletDuck View Post
I once heard rumor that Denver was the only airport that could support the A380. This was a couple years ago. Has this changed? Is it mostly for overseas routes?
MEM and SDF will have runways taxiways that will support the A380. I haven't heard that MEM airport authority will stop the construction of the runway expansion since we cancelled the order. I'm pretty sure ANC, IND, & LAX will have suitable runways as well.

The A380 will probably be sold/given to another Skybus-type startup for regional routes, and it will keep Airbus in the black until the carrier realizes that it must file chapter 11 since the JFK-BOS shuttle isn't filling the seats.
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Old 12-05-2006, 03:30 AM
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Does anyone anticipate the cancellation of the A380F?
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Old 12-05-2006, 04:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Fxfan View Post
Does anyone anticipate the cancellation of the A380F?
Yes.

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Old 12-05-2006, 07:24 AM
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Why would they need to cancel the A380F? It's a derivative, not a standalone bird so why not keep it around and work for some orders after the pax version gets in service and demonstrates some reliability? The R & D costs are basically paid for already, and I'm sure once the pax version is certified it wouldn't take them long to cerify a freight version in response to an order. Considering all that's gone on at Airbus, I would think that they wouldn't shut down a potential revenue source down the line, rather they would use the delivery slots created to catchup on their backlogs to other airline customers.
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Old 12-05-2006, 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by koz2000 View Post
MEM and SDF will have runways taxiways that will support the A380. I haven't heard that MEM airport authority will stop the construction of the runway expansion since we cancelled the order. I'm pretty sure ANC, IND, & LAX will have suitable runways as well.

The A380 will probably be sold/given to another Skybus-type startup for regional routes, and it will keep Airbus in the black until the carrier realizes that it must file chapter 11 since the JFK-BOS shuttle isn't filling the seats.
Also, ONT will have the capability.
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