21–30 of 254 posts
It is sad it seems to be dying - from a “wow that can fly” point of view - but at this point it looks like the a380 was the wrong bet :-/
An Emirates A380 flies over my house on it's way to IAD most mornings as I'm walking to work. It really is an amazing sight. It absolutely dwarves everything else in the sky.
I totally understand why big aircraft (A380, 747, etc) are disappearing commercially but I will miss them. Flying in a larger aircraft makes one feel less like cargo, in particularly for airlines that offer places to stretch your legs (e.g. "bar" seating, showers, staircases, etc). I was always kind of secretly hoping large blimps would return. And we'd get to choose between 7 hours in a tiny metal tube with the seat…
Just curious, why do you think they are disappearing? I thought they still have lower cost/passenger, especially for long haul?
It is sad it seems to be dying - from a “wow that can fly” point of view - but at this point it looks like the a380 was the wrong bet :-/
An Emirates A380 flies over my house on it's way to IAD most mornings as I'm walking to work. It really is an amazing sight. It absolutely dwarves everything else in the sky.
Nowadays there are budget airlines using budget airports with very long taxi rides to somewhere useful. You can't argue with price. Yet right now we are in an age of cheap oil that facilitates this. Had we not had the taps fully open and the fuel taxed then maybe the A380 would be king and it be hard to justify the budget flight model.
Brexit really is not helping the A380 cause. The wings are made in a part of England that was changed to be Wales so that an EU development grant could be obtained. In the post-Brexit world where nobody in power cares about jobs it is likely that Airbus rationalise production and give the formerly United Kingdom the heave-ho. They can make all the A380's the world really needs and call it a day in Blighty.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't believe it does, at least not in a typical configuration. The only true double-deckers are the 747 and the A380. Some other wide-bodies have been configured with a galley below the passenger deck, so flight crew have stairs but not passengers. Maybe there's a variant with lavatories below deck? If so, it's not common.
The A340 in a few airlines (Lufthansa for sure, others probably too) has a set of lavatories below deck. So other than the 747 and A380 that’s the only other plane I can think of with stairs for passengers.
I totally understand why big aircraft (A380, 747, etc) are disappearing commercially but I will miss them. Flying in a larger aircraft makes one feel less like cargo, in particularly for airlines that offer places to stretch your legs (e.g. "bar" seating, showers, staircases, etc). I was always kind of secretly hoping large blimps would return. And we'd get to choose between 7 hours in a tiny metal tube with the seat…
It is sad it seems to be dying - from a “wow that can fly” point of view - but at this point it looks like the a380 was the wrong bet :-/
An Emirates A380 flies over my house on it's way to IAD most mornings as I'm walking to work. It really is an amazing sight. It absolutely dwarves everything else in the sky.
I got upgraded from business class to first class on an Emirates A380 flight from Dubai to London a couple of years ago. Showering mid-flight was an experience I'd never forget! Especially, the gauge in the shower which goes down while the water's running (Lasted about 8 minutes, IIRC) :)