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Two 787s have the same fuel
consumption as a single
A380 on the trans-Pacific.
rob finlayson

rest of its network was simply not
viable.
Today, Qantas’s A380 network
comprises only six routes, from
Sydney to Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort
Xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx Worth, Singapore and London, as
xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx well as Melbourne to Los Angeles
xxxxxx xxxx. xxxxxxx xxxxxx and Singapore. Filling up an A380
elsewhere on its network would be a
real challenge.
The aircraft is also becoming
increasingly difficult to justify
economically. The price of fuel is on
the rise again and newer 787s and
A350s are cheaper to buy and far more
fuel efficient, while fulfilling airline
requirements to operate more flights
on direct point-to-point secondary
routes, bypassing hubs where they can.
As Qantas celebrated 10 years of A380
operations it was a point underscored
we have are fantastic aircraft and only be operated economically on a All Nippon is the A380’s latest by aviation expert and managing
actually serve the missions we have… handful of major trunk routes. Unlike customer, taking just two. airbus director of Airline Intelligence
We believe there’s a network for 12: it’s Emirates and its fleet of more than & Research Dr Tony Weber – a
very good and it works very well. We 100 A380s, pulling in thousands of former Qantas chief economist – in
struggle with a network for the next transit passengers through its Dubai September when he said the aircraft is
eight, so that’s why we keep pushing hub to fill the big planes, Qantas not cost-effective compared to a 787.
them back,” he said. was operating from end-of-the-line “You can fly two Boeing 787s
What had become apparent to bases at Sydney and Melbourne, between Sydney and Los Angeles with
Qantas – and others who delayed or with no access to high volume transit the same fuel consumption as the
cancelled deliveries – was that while customers. A380. Qantas has tried to justify its
this was a great aircraft, it could Placing the A380 on most of the fuel consumption by saying its aircraft
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