Page 47 - AA 2018_11

QANTAS A380 AT 10

For Qantas, the arrival of its first superjumbo n Toulouse, France on
September 19 2008, as then
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon
Airbus A380 in November 2008 marked a Itook delivery of the carrier’s first
changing of the guard, not only in terms of fleet Airbus A380 – some two years later
than initially planned – there was no
modernisation. A new chief executive was about missing the euphoria in his voice. The
jet symbolised a new era of travel for
to take the helm and hopes were high a new Qantas, he declared.
“No other airline has flown as
era in air travel was beginning. Did the world’s far as Qantas for as long as Qantas,
so we know very well the value of a
largest commercial jet live up to the hype? well-designed inflight product for
long-haul flights. The A380, with
The answer was, well, yes… and no. its extra space, new materials and
advanced technology, has given us the
ideal platform to reinvent the inflight
experience.”
WRITER: TOM BALLANTYNE Dixon was about to step down as
the airline’s chief, handing over to
Alan Joyce in November that year,
and the CEO-in-waiting was just as
optimistic.

Qantas has no plans to take
delivery of further A380s.
seth jaworski

‘The A380, with its extra space, new

materials and advanced technology,

has given us the ideal platform to

reinvent the inflight experience.’
GEOFF DIXON

NOVEMBER 2018 47