I have to hand it to Airbus (A3XX)

[WingedForce]

airbus you a fag and you need shutup the first time one of those a380 crashes people will begain to hasitat to fly one them just think of 900 people dying BOEING FOREVER GOD BLESS AMERICA

[Giblets]

I distinctly remmeber people sayng exactly the same thing about the 747, 'people will stop flying them as soon as there is an accident', well, there have been several (including tenerife, where two collided), and people are still flying them. People were even saying the insurance would be too much.
With a reduction in fuel consumption os something like 15%, and add to that 20% extra seats, it will bring the price of flying down. If one airline has the A380, they will be able to bring thewir fares down, and so the competition will have to follow suite, or loose passengers.
Incidentally, Boeing makes virtuaklly all of their civil airliner profit solely from the 747 (something like 2/3).
Hence their sppoiling tactics witht he sonic Cruiser. Boeing know that by introducing the A380, airbus will get a foothold with sirliners htat previously oculd avoid getting airbus products.

[jerre]

the plane does sell: it was ordered in sufficient numbers so it will be launched, and about 40 have been ordered at le Bourget. although much concern is given to safety, it can still crash, which will be inevitably be a disaster - comparable to the tenerife incident.
oh and my apologises WingedForce, i didn't shut up as you asked in your kind mail....
"go **** yourself and dont ever joke on americans about 9/11. we are the strongest and you know it and your afraid"

[airplaneboffin]

I have just heard that the A380 or has got a gym, lounge and much more cool stuff on the 1st floor of the plane.
Dont try and say its crap because i heard it onthe BBC news (British Broadcasting Cooperation.
I think Americans are jealous that for once its not them producing the ideas.!!!?!?!!!

[jerre]

well, you can't say the A380 is revolutionary... it's just a bit bigger. i've seen reports about swimming pools and bars on board the plane, but i guess the asian compagnies who ordered it are more interested in carrying massas of people

[EL31]

Speaking as an employee of the most successfull ailine companys of all time (southwest airlines) I can say that there is no way that an airline would allow its passengers to rome around the aircraft while in flight. I've seen flight attendents injured due to sudden jolts of turbulance taking place during long haul flights. There is no way the airlines will risk leagle action on the part of some passenger because he or she injured themselves due to inflight turbulance. Gyms, shopping malls, swimming pools and showers is just fantasy. But I must say that it's a fine marketing ploy by Airbus. But its just not going to happen.

[studcityman]

There are no doubt specific routes where the A3XX will be commercially successful for the airlines flying them.

Given the choice to fly on a Boeing 777, or 747-400 or the new A3XX, I'd probably choose to fly on the less croweded plane. I don't fear a terrorist attack- I enjoy boarding last and exiting first when I sit in the front of the plane. With 550 people trying to find their seats, it will add at a minimum 1 hour to the time it takes to fly that same route.

I understand airports will install multiple jetways to accomodate the passenger loads, I have never been to Mardi Gras for a similar reason: I don't like crowds!

If for example, Lufthansa began using the A3XX on its LAX-Frankfurt route and UAL (ugh!) continued to fly the 747, I believe UAL would now have a competitve advantage in the marketplace.

Even if the airplane is hugely successful- beyond anyones imaginage at a development cost of US$12Billion it will NEVER be profitable for AIRBUS.

This is not new to AIRBUS, the Concorce was never commercially succuessful for the manufacturerr nor the airlines flying them.