This is more due to the overall restructuring of the company than problems with that particular fleet type. Malaysia is also getting rid of some 777s and 737s.

But, point taken, the global lack of A380 orders is telling.

 

"Trial basis?" Is the author trying to describe some sort of short-term lease with return-to-lessor conditions favorable to UAL? Is there a precedent for this sort of arrangement?
The prospect seems outlandish given our current regime's love of capacity discipline, but the author makes an interesting point about being able to grow capacity at a slot-restricted airport like PVG.
Free airbii!

 

If Airbus is offering a large incentive to do a few year trial why not do it? Airbus is desperate to get new orders and if it is shown that a U.S. Carrier can make a profit using it, I'm sure they are thinking it could be possible they could get another airline to get an order. Seems just on this article and pure rumor, it would be a win/win for united.

 

DEN-IAH? That would be a commuter's dream!

 

And the A380 kicks the 747-8i ass in the orders department so what does that say about the 747?

The concept of the A380 (or the 747-8i) is sound when taken in the context of predicted world traffic growth and technology available at the time of design (early 2000's in the 380's case) to move passengers between large cities. However those predictions don't always pan out. Time will tell if it was the right call or not to build it, or if it was just years ahead of its time. The 777-9 is 15+ years newer and technology (especially the engines) potentially will allow it to carry 400 passengers the distance needed that previously required 4 engines.

Maybe someday what's happening domestically with frequencies being dropped for larger aircraft (RJ's replaced by mainline) will apply to international flying as well. For example JFK-LHR on AA/BA has 14 flights on June 4th. Some only 5 minutes apart. combine 2 flights into a single 380 and you have more slots and aircraft to fly elsewhere (or retire them) while still meeting the demand. If you could meet the demand with say only 10 flights a day (still plenty of frequency for the "business traveller"), your profit should be even higher due to less operational costs.

Heathrow and JFK aren't expanding anytime soon, so bigger aircraft are the only way to increase passenger counts to meet the growth in a constrained situation.

DC

 

You're probably referring to the generous lease Airbus gave EAL on A-300s in the mid '70s. That jump-started lagging sales and may have saved both the airplane and the manufacturer.

 

I get I real chuckle when people say "Jeff doesn't like this/that." As if he sits in the study of his $5 million apartment in a silk bathrobe and looks at pictures of 737-900s on airliners.net. Assuming somebody would behave the way you do is called projecting. Giving JS pilot thoughts is a little silly. I don't know what a CEO does in his free time, but it isn't lose sleep over what he pays his pilots, or deliberating over whether fly-by-wire Boeing or Airbus products are better. Despite what many senior pilots seem to believe I reckon, if a CEO chooses to do something, it is either driven by money or power.

I think the only question worth asking about this rumor is:
What does mr Smisek have to gain or lose from this
IE:
-a better relationship/rates with Boeing/Airbus on existing orders
- Future Leverage with Airbus/Boeing
- Company Image with the traveling public/high yield customers, etc.
- Star Alliance stuff

All of which eventually contributes to who has bragging rights when he and Richard Anderson are sitting by the pool at their retirement community in Monaco. He doesn't run numbers on route yield, that is some middle managers job 18 floors beneath him. Get grittier on your ideas of what JS lusts after, I would be surprised if it has anything to do with airplanes.

 

Money and power, absolutely! But you must be new around here. UAL's got a lot of history both good and bad when CEO's think about planes and pilots. Pat Patterson, Dick Ferris.

Anyone want to guess why LUAL's 737-300's and 757's had only one jump seat, and UAL paid Boeing to take the second one off? Hint, it was right after the '85 strike, and as Dickie was shown the door...

 

Reperucssions from Boeing? When was the Dreamliner supposed to be delivered again? How reliable has Sparkie been esp those built in Charelston? I welcome a reprimand from Boeing. I will greet it with a middle finger...

 

1/2 full of PS folks, the rest revenue and you are still limited to 2 jump seats most likely! Oh....and no room up front so your bags go in the BACK!