V-Flyer

1) Possible discontinuation of the A380.
2) Eleventh hour cancellation by Qatar of their first A350
and
3) Production down 10% of the A330

nothing like getting all the bad news out in one go!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30427116

regards,

gnjb

IMO it's just Airbus trying to get some sells in, there obviously low in sells and hope this could help

I've always been a bit sceptical about the A380. Yes it's great to fly in and it certainly has that wow factor but it bucks the current trend for smaller twin engine aircraft that provide more flexibility and cost savings for airlines operating on increasingly tight margins.

As such the A380's market is limited. BA, QF, LH and SK have bought theirs and aren't likely to buy many more. The only airlines likely to keep ordering them long term are the ME3 (and EK in particular). But despite its seemingly insatiable appetite for them, is EK alone enough justification to keep building them?

A business that puts all its eggs in one basket, however big and lucrative that basket, is playing a very dangerous game, and Airbus clearly know that.

Be careful not to look at it with too heavily western/middle-eastern-tinted lenses...

China is investing heavily in mass air-transport options. Unlike the west, the idea of shipping 600-700 people in a tin can from one city to another at once is extremely attractive and China Eastern, China Southern etc are all looking at the A380 as a *domestic* aircraft as a result. This is a region where 747s regularly fly on hourly schedules between tier 1 cities...

Same with India (albeit, maybe in 5-10 years to get to the same level). But those two countries alone represent a population of 2.5 BILLION - a large proportion of which are becoming increasingly more mobile.

If Airbus *do* pull out of the A380 (and in my view, it's not likely), then the prospect of China starting commercial aircraft manufacture to build an alternative mass-movement vehicle is likely to become a very real option, especially as they're topping out on high-speed rail links now. And Airbus will surely not want that competition to happen...

gnjb wrote:1) Possible discontinuation of the A380.
2) Eleventh hour cancellation by Qatar of their first A350
and
3) Production down 10% of the A330

nothing like getting all the bad news out in one go!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30427116

regards,

gnjb

1) Refuted by the CEO who talked about the 380-NEO and 380-900 in the future.
2) Not cancelled, delayed due to a problem with a loo seal.
3) And just launched the A330-NEO which won a great order from Delta a couple of weeks ago.

Nope, not a bad day, just spin.