The Big and Quiet flagship of the Airbus Fleet of commercial aircraft is nearing it’s production run….
Built as a opulent was to travel long distances in comfort it has fallen on hard times….
Airlines no longer want large jets that might fly half empty …..
As they moved to their airlines being driven by two pilots to save money….
So have they moved to smaller aircraft with just two engines to fuel and money….
Production of four engine commercial jetliner’s is almost over….
Airbus announced Feb. 14 that it is terminating the A380 program.
Emirates announced it will only take 14 more A380s instead of the 53 it had on firm order so far. The order is revised and now includes 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s according to a new heads of agreement.
“As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders. “The consequences of this decision are largely embedded in our 2018 full year results”.
“The A380 is not only an outstanding engineering and industrial achievement. Passengers all over the world love to fly on this great aircraft. Hence today’s announcement is painful for us and the A380 communities worldwide. But, keep in mind that A380s will still roam the skies for many years to come and Airbus will of course continue to fully support the A380 operators,” Tom Enders added.
“Emirates has been a staunch supporter of the A380 since its very inception,” Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said. “While we are disappointed to have to give up our order, and sad that the program could not be sustained, we accept that this is the reality of the situation. For us, the A380 is a wonderful aircraft loved by our customers and our crew. It is a differentiator for Emirates.“ According to Al Maktoum, Emirates will continue to operate the aircraft “well into the 2030s.”
Emirates had ordered 70 A350s before, but cancelled the deal in 2014. The future of Emirates’ 2017 commitment for 40 Boeing 787-10s is now unclear: “We continue to evaluate our fleet options, including the 787,” the airline said.
After years in crisis mode, the decision to stop production of the world’s largest civil aircraft does not come as a surprise….
image…france24.com