http://www.financeasia.com/article.aspx?CIaNID=48453

This is one of many articles praising the A380 from the publics view.
As a majority of people on this board seem to think the A380 is a joke, the general public seems to think differantly.

In the end it doesnt matter what the airlines, pilots, mechanics think..... its all about Public demand!

This sounds like one hell of a plane from a passengers standpoint

 

They may think it's cool in a sound bite, but when they realize that A380 = one departure per day (maybe one every OTHER day) they will not be so enthused.

US Pax really only care about two things, in this order:
1) Schedule
2) Price
They won't buy a slightly cheaper ticket if they have to depart 12-24 hours before or after they really wanted to. This is not a secret in the US, and it's one of the reasons that you see so many RJ's on mainline routes...frequency. I had a PAX yesterday bitching about the RJ...but he also mentioned that he didn't want to wait two hours for the 757

Boeing got this one right, methinks.

The 380 will have at least a niche market on high-volume routes in less-ecomonically advanced nations...those pax just want the lowest price, period. They won't care if they depart at 1400, or next Tuesday.

 

I totaly agree with you on how passengers go crazy over wanting frequency more then anything else.

Though I think on the longer routes it becomes less important. To say Australia, Germany, Asia.... any 10+ hour flights people dont really care as much when the flight leaves. I remember when I was going fromm Toronto to Munich last month the flight was delayed over an hour and no one really noticed or cared.

 

Show me where the 747s still have piano bars and I'll show you an A380 that will have the same amenities that Airbus is pushing now. As soon as they can figure out a way to change regulations so it's certified for 800 pax it will have 31" pitch like the rest of them.

The US is unique in the frequency thing. In the mideast and asia they need the ability to move tons of people more.

 

Wise man say,

What is it limited to now? I think I heard 540? Thats too many people

 

specially if they cater bean burritos for luch and indian food for dinner

 

From the original article in the first post: Individual airlines could configure the number of seats, and classes, as they wished (although the upper limit on passenger seats is 853, according to Airbus).

Personally, I think there'll be enough demand for the A380 and the 747-8. Of course the triple Decker B797 will be even more popular! Ok, maybe I'm wishing too much

 

Did you guys see that unexplained nasty swerve that thing did on its first landing here in the US?

For some reason, "population control" keeps popping into my head.....

 

it seems like the payload will be more food, than fuel

 

That's right, the 380 is certified for over 800. As I understand it (yes, just a runor)Singapore is looking that way now.

Here is a thought. Boeing won't stretch the upper deck because of restrictions on belly space (my guess). Basically, you have two 777's worth of people with the belly space of one airplane. I remember a show on Discovery with an ex Boeing engineer saying that there was a reason that Boeing did not go with the original 747 design, which looks very much like the 380; he said there was a reason they went with the bubble instead of the full upper deck. The understanding being the lack of belly space.

The unfortunate thing here is that the industry needs at least two fit manufacturers. The path that EADS/Airbus is on is not good. The A320 is a nice bird, but the new 340's are dog's, they don't really have competition for the B777/787, and frankly lets be honest, the A380 better work (what's the likelyhood of that?) or they are in bigger trouble then they are in now.

When was the last time someone ordered one of these thing's? The last time an order was cancelled? Not good.