'Airbus jet delay costs millions'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4433030.stm

I walked over the new airbridge at Gatwick two weeks ago, it's quite long and seems like very long when you have taken too long shopping in the duty free.

A380 will not be able to land at Gatwick at present and it will not fit under the new airbridge at Gatwick North Terminal.

A380 will not be able to land at Gatwick at present and it will not fit under the new airbridge at Gatwick North Terminal.

Thats not much of a problem as none of the major airlines are planning on using the A380 out of Gatwick, only Heathrow.

Darren

Watch an Airbus A380 being constructed in around 7 minutes .... please click here.

David

Fantastic! Thanks for posting the link David

It really is an awesome aircraft.

Pippy

A380 to make Heathrow debut

The world's largest commercial aircraft is due to land at Heathrow for the first time today on a test flight.

Singapore Airlines, launch customer of the massive new Airbus, will be the first carrier to fly the A380 from Heathrow.

SIA takes delivery of the A380 in November and will put the first into commercial service in December, flying between London, Singapore and Sydney. It will operate from a new £105 million Pier 6 at Terminal 3.

While the A380 can accommodate 555 seats in a standard, three-class configuration, the SIA's aircraft will carry less than 480 passengers.

The airline will unveil new cabins later this year, including a first class and business class claimed to be "very different" from the SkySuites and SpaceBeds currently in service.

UK general manager Marvin Tan said: "We congratulate Airbus and BAA on the arrival of the A380 and opening of Pier 6 and look forward to our first commercial flight from London Heathrow. It will mark another milestone for Singapore Airlines as we celebrate 35 years at Heathrow Airport from which we were the first airline to fly non-stop to Singapore in 1989."

With permission from Travelmole

Just watched the Airbus do a low level fly pass at Broughton, I've videoed it but I had to use the zoom so it's a bit shaky, It circled round me at a distance of about 1/2 a mile and I didn't hear the engines at all, it's a massive aircraft but so graceful.

Dave

edited due to Typo's

Oh I wish I'd seen it!
I bet it was an amazing sight!

Pippy

There are pics and video in THIS link.

Also video in THIS link.

Pippy

Has that video been slowed down? I ask because the Aircraft seem to make a very slow touch down and came to a halt so to speak very quickly......not hurtling down the runway like I expected.

I don't think I would want to fly on it. All those passengers.....imagine the queues for the loos And just imagine the queues at Baggage Reclaim. Waiting for your In flight Meal might take forever, and just imagine the chaos when the aircraft has landed.....trying to get to the overhead lockers... its bad enough now.

If the Airlines do not intend to utilise all the seating capacity as I have been reading then why have such a large aircraft in the first place?

I am definately not interested in flying on such an aircraft.

Has that video been slowed down?

I have absolutely no idea.

Pippy

The aircraft was virtually empty so it slowed down very quickly. There was also one hell of a wind at Heathrow yesterday which would affect the approach speed.

There will be plenty of crew on board so in flight serivce will be no worse than a 747. I've been on almost full 747s and never queued for the loo, received my meals of choice and received luggage in quick time.

Can't wait to fly on one.

I wonder how many will book trips to Singapore just so they can be among the first to fly on the plane. Wonder what the seat pitch will be in economy.

I've been on full 747's, queued for the loo, and not received my meal of choice (actually not received any meal as they had run out) and waited ages for the luggage . All part of the joy of air travel.

Seriously though the planes bigger so will have more staff on board, loos etc plus the airlines using them see them as flagships for their companies so you should get the best service the airline offers for the class your seated in.

Personally can't wait to climb aboard.

I wonder how many will book trips to Singapore just so they can be among the first to fly on the plane

The last I heard, the inaugral flight it fully booked, it has been for a long time! This flight will probably be filled with special guests, frequent fliers etc as its such a special occasion for SQ, although the actual date for the inaugral flight has been changed many times so you never know, there might be an odd seat going spare if you fancy one!

Seat pitches will be the same as most carriers currently have for all their classes, its just there will be more seats. I can't wait to fly on such an engineering acheivement.

Darren

I have a feeling this aircraft will be a flop, despite the brilliance of it. Airbus needs to sell 300 planes to break even, when it flew it's maiden flight last year it had 159 orders and still has 159 orders a year later not a good sign. The A380 is limited to where it can fly to and many airports don't seem in any rush to upgrade their airports at huge cost to themselves to accommate it.

Meanwhile the more practical Boeing 787 is selling like hotcakes at the moment and it's not even ready to fly for a few more years yet.

Seat pitches will be the same as most carriers currently have for all their classes

That would be a bit of a bummer with regard to Singapore Airlines as currently their seat pitch in economy is not that generous. I'd certainly hope for more.

A380 faces further delay

Airbus is delaying delivery of its A380 super-jumbo by six months, prompting calls for compensation from one airline.

It will be the second hold-up in delivery dates in year.

The delay has been put down to bottlenecks in the aircraft's electrical systems, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Launch customer Singapore Airlines will only receive one of the 555-passenger capacity aircraft this year as a result. SIA had planned to operate the aircraft from London to Sydney in 2006.

Only nine A380s will be delivered next year instead of the 25 planned. Airbus has orders for 159 A380s from 16 airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Qantas.

Geoff Dixon, chief executive of the Australian airline, said talks would be held with Airbus in the next two weeks after an internal review of the implications of the A380 delay.

He said: "Our discussions with Airbus will centre around the new delivery timetable, competitive issues, compensation and possible short-term replacement aircraft. We would hope to alleviate some of the difficulties by deferring the retirement of aircraft, redirecting capacity and securing replacement capacity."

Dixon said Qantas would not be able to assess the full impact of the delay until completing its internal review.

Airbus said: "While it is still on track to win certification for the aircraft and deliver the first unit at the end of 2006, only a maximum of nine A380 aircraft can be delivered in 2007.

"As a result, compared to the initial targets, there will be shortfalls in delivery of five to nine aircraft in 2008 and around five aircraft in 2009."


With permission from Travelmole

The airbus press release is available on their website Here

Dave