1) Emirates’ first retired A380 will be fully repurposed in the UAE in a pioneering initiative with Falcon Aviation Recycling to save most of the aircraft from landfill.

So why has Airbus decided to kill it? The main reason the company will halt production of A380 after 12 years, from 2021, is the low number of planes sold. Emirates is the only airline to significantly invest in the plane, making up more than half of the 300-odd orders for the superjumbo jet since its launch in 2007.

Unfortunately, the A380 has fallen from grace as airlines have opted to instead fly more efficient twin-engine jets like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. Things got so dire that last year that Airbus announced it would be permanently ending production of the A380.

Airbus has officially confirmed the end of A380. Because of the lack of airline demand, the superjumbo production is to cease in 2021. The previous order, which included the A330-900 and the A350-900 was nowhere to be seen in Airbus’ Orders & Delivery data.

Overall, Airbus estimates it has sunk $25bn into the A380 project and, despite passengers love for the aircraft, conceded that it would never recoup its investment. At one point, every A380 produced was made at a loss.

A short 14 years from its first commercial flight, the Airbus A380 has already been retired by several airlines and with production of the aircraft ceasing. Despite being an engineering marvel, the Airbus A380 was a failure in the aviation market.

The A380 features an 8,200 nautical-mile range (15,200 km), enabling it to service some of the longest routes in commercial aviation.

On Thursday, Qantas announced it will bring 10 of its 12 Airbus A380s back into service, five of which are set to return to the skies in 2022, while the remaining two A380s will be retired.

There are 251 firm orders by 14 customers for the passenger version of the Airbus A380-800, of which 248 have been delivered as of June 2021….Overview.

The carrier said plans to restore 70 per cent of its capacity by the end of 2021 are on track with the return to service of more than 50 of its A380 aircraft. The airline’s total fleet of A380s will reach 118 by year-end, it said, as Covid-19 restrictions ease and travel demand rebounds.

Some pilots prefer the spaciousness and tray table of the Airbus whilst others prefer the design philosophy of the Boeing knowing that they can disconnect the aircraft and fly it manually without restriction at any point should they need to.

Airbus had been working on a revamped A380 to make it more efficient, but needed sufficient launch orders to make the huge investment viable. Despite Airbus’ website describing the Airbus as the “future of long-distance travel” the last aircraft will be delivered in 2021. Where did Airbus go wrong?

12% fuel efficiency represents a massive saving for aviation, where even a 0.5% gain can make a difference to commercial viability. Leahy implies that a breakdown in communication meant Airbus jumped the gun instead of patiently biding its time for further improvements in fuel efficiency.

We launched in 2000, but three years later we got the 787 being launched with GENx engines and Rolls Royce matching that, having a ten to 12 percent better specific fuel consumption than the A380’s engines.” 12% fuel efficiency represents a massive saving for aviation, where even a 0.5% gain can make a difference to commercial viability.

Parts of the A380 are manufactured in France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, with final assembly and finishing split between Toulouse and Hamburg. Airbus had already cut staffing as A380 orders dried up, and the future of employment at the company very much now depends on the success of its new generation of aircraft.