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Want to fly an A380? Emirates CEO Wants 130 A380s

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johnsonrod

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Posts
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130 A380s? Probably not too farfetched considering that Clark mentioned in a recent article that every longhaul roundtrip using the A380 requires 2.5 airplanes (I guess the .5 refers to a standby aircraft). So, using that ratio, 130 A380s (assuming none retired yet) would accomodate up to 52 roundtrip longhaul flights to various destinations. I don't know that for a fact - I am sure some EK pilot will correct me (I just read about that ratio used in flight planning). I think London Heathrow is expected to have as many as 5 daily roundtrip A380 flights to/from Dubai. Also, in another recent article Clark mentioned that eventually he would like all flights to North America to use A380s (not sure about A380 range capability to LAX and SFO nonstop from Dubai). It would not surprise me if most major European cities with slot-constrained airports would also see mainly A380s to maximize seats into slot-constrained airports (assuming they can accomodate the A380).

Sounds like Dubai will require a huge airport with massive terminals to handle this traffic within the next 10 years. Anyone know when the new Dubai airport is expected to open to airline passenger traffic? I had read the plan was something like 5 parallel runways and some cargo flights currently use the one operating runway. So, within the next 5-10 years, EK could have 130 A380s operating - then add 50+ A350s, 100+ 777s, 100+ FlyDubai 737-800s and all of the other foregin and ME regional airline jumbos. Whichever airport they use (or maybe split operations between the two airports), that airspace is going to be SATURATED.

I guess if you really, really want a chance at flying an A380 someday, Emirates would be the place to do it... I think Qatar is scheduled to get 5-10 A380s.

See article below:



Emirates Airline's Clark says wants more Airbus A380s

By Alwyn Scott

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Confirming growing demand for the world's largest airliner, a top executive of Emirates Airline said on Thursday the company would be willing to buy another 40 Airbus A380 jets, but that the fast-growing Dubai airport where the airline is based is short of room for them. Emirates Airline President Tim Clark had already said the airline wants another 30 A380s, on top of 90 already on order. Increasing that number to 40 suggests demand is rising for the A380 made by the Airbus unit of Europe's EADS.

Emirates, by far the largest customer for the A380, whose list price is $390 million, had 23 of the superjumbo jets in service at the end of August.
Clark, speaking at an industry conference in Seattle, said there are seven A380s waiting in Hamburg, Germany, for delivery as part of the normal deliver schedule. He is not worried about his airline's strong growth being affected by recession in Europe, slowing growth in China and unrest in the Middle East. Dubai, he said, "is a honey pot. There is no place better, except maybe China."

Clark has been ratcheting up his demand for the 525-seat A380 jet since he surprised the aviation world in 2010 by saying the airline could buy 120 of the aircraft.

Emirates, one of Dubai's most prized assets, has continued to grow rapidly despite a regional debt crisis followed by a wider recession affecting the airline industry and high fuel prices.

"We don't cancel orders," Clark said. "We get on with it."

If Emirates carried out its ambition of operating a fleet of 130 A380s, adding 40 to its current order of 90, it would control a fleet worth over $50 billion at list prices and extend its dominance as the European planemaker' s largest customer.

Regarding the development of a revamped Boeing Co 777, Clark said that the first of its fleet of 777-300-ER jets are due to be retired in 2017, and Emirates would like to replace them with the updated 777, which promises much greater efficiencies.

Given that deadline, he said it was a good time to start "bellyaching" to get a new jet started. "I'm hoping to see it sooner rather than later."
A Boeing official said the company is developing options and "when we are satisfied with the risks, costs and schedule, we intend to present a plan for offering the airplane to customers that would enter the market late this decade."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/emirates-boeing-idUSL1E8KRIQD20120927?type=marketsNews
 
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Either Emirates is totally visionary in their approach to growth with this airplane or it will be a complete disaster of the largest airline failure in history. It sure seems to be in stark contrast to every other airline. What does Emirates envision that no other airline worldwide can see?

What is the saying? Go big or go home.
 
You guys are assuming that you will be placed on the 380, EK has a couple of thousand pilots waiting their turn.
 
You guys are assuming that you will be placed on the 380, EK has a couple of thousand pilots waiting their turn.


Takes about a year and a half.. for a new-hire FO hired onto the Airbus 330 to get on to the 380
 
No, I don't want to fly it.
But I do love the suite, the bar, and the shower.
 

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