Airbus A380
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Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a fascinating piece of aviation technology. Find out spec about this type of plane, features of the A380 cabin and which airlines use the A380.
About the Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a jet airliner created and manufactured by the company Airbus. It is a double-deck, wide-body jet aircraft, with four engines and is currently the biggest passenger aircraft in the world. Because of its huge size, any airport which operates services with it had to upgrade its facilities to accommodate it.
This aircraft was created to challenge the monopoly of Boeing in the jumbo-jet market, which Boeing had established through its Boeing 747 family of aircraft. It made its first flight on the 27th of April 2005 and completed its first commercial flight on the 25th of October 2007 with the airline Singapore Airlines.
Technical Spec of the A380
| Range | 15,200km |
| Length | 72.72m |
| Height | 24.09m |
| Wing Span | 79.75m |
| Track | 14.34m |
| Wheelbase | 31.88m |
| Cabin Floor Space | 550 square metres |
| Max. Cabin Width (Main Deck) | 6.54m |
| Max. Cabin Width (Upper Deck) | 5.8m |
| Cabin Length | 49.9m |
| Max. Fuel Capacity | 320,000 litres |
| Max. Take Off Weight | 575 tonnes |
| Max. Landing Weight | 394 tonnes |
| Max. Zero Fuel Weight | 369 tonnes |
| Max. Possible Passenger Seats | 853 |
| Average Passenger Seats | 575 (4-class) |
| Cockpit Crew | 2 |
Passenger Features of the A380
Quiet
The Airbus A380 is famous for its operating silence. It has much quieter engines and systems, which give passengers peace to enjoy their journey or relax and have an undisturbed sleep.
Long Routes
Its large flying range of over 15,000km means that it's used on some of the longest non-stop flights in the world. Currently, Emirates uses it for their Auckland to Dubai service, and Qantas are using it for their Dallas Fort Worth to Sydney service. They also fly shorter routes, with transatlantic flights from Europe to East Coast USA being some of the most popular!
Smooth Flying
The Airbus A380 is also known for having a great anti-turbulence system, meaning passengers enjoy a smoother and more stable journey. This is partly due to the aircraft’s impressive size and weight.
Great Experience
Mood Lighten on the Airbus A380 does more than just create a nice aesthetic. The carefully placed lights allow passengers to adjust to the time zone in their destination and minimise jet lag. Alongside this, the cabin air is refreshed and recycled every 2 minutes to ensure passengers are left feeling fresh throughout the duration of your flight.
Extra Legroom
Even in economy class! With a 32-24 inch seat pitch in economy, going up to 86 inches in first. Economy seats are 18-inch wide, giving a comfortable seat in every class.
Photo Credit: Andy Mitchell
Entertainment
The Airbus A380 is one of the only aircraft to include a tail camera which passengers can view in their in-flight entertainment system.
Environment
The Airbus A380 is one of the worlds most environmentally friendly aircraft, with carbon emissions amounting at just 75g per passenger per km, which is 17% less than its competitor. With its quiet aircraft, it also meets standards for operation in some of the most noise-sensitive airports in the world. Furthermore, the greater capacity of the plane means that more passengers are transported in one less aircraft.
Additional Features
On the A380, there is so much room that there is even room for an onboard bar! This is available with Emirates, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways and is often only available to First and Business class passengers. Some airlines even include showers so you can freshen up above the clouds. In addition, airlines such as Etihad and Singapore Airlines have created luxury living spaces such as apartments which include private sofas or double beds.
Photo Credit: Brussels Airport
Which airlines use the A380?
Although the primary users of the Airbus A380 are Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Qantas, there are other airlines that use this aircraft. Emirates, however, have the most A380s in their fleet, totalling 94 with another 12 on order. The airlines that currently have A380s in their fleet are:
- Asiana Airlines
- All Nippon Airways
- British Airways
- China Southern Airlines
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
- Korean Air
- Lufthansa
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Airways International
- Air France
Where does the Airbus A380 fly?
| Destination | Airlines that Fly there |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | Etihad Airways |
| Amsterdam | Emirates |
| Atlanta | Korean Air |
| Auckland | Emirates, Singapore Airlines |
| Bangkok | Asiana Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways |
| Barcelona | Emirates |
| Beijing | China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines |
| Birmingham | Emirates |
| Boston | British Airways |
| Brisbane | Emirates |
| Casablanca | Emirates |
| Chengdu | China Southern Airlines |
| Christchurch | Emirates |
| Copenhagen | Emirates |
| Dallas | Emirates, Qantas |
| Delhi | Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines |
| Doha | Emirates, Qatar Airways |
| Dubai | Emirates, Qantas |
| Dusseldorf | Emirates |
| Frankfurt | Asiana Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways |
| Guangzhou | China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways |
| Hong Kong | Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways |
| Houston | Emirates, Lufthansa |
| Jeddah | Emirates |
| Johannesburg | British Airways, Emirates |
| Kuala Lumpur | Emirates, Malaysia Airlines |
| Kuwait | Emirates |
| London | British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways |
| Los Angeles | Asiana Airlines, British Airways, China Southern Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas |
| Madrid | Emirates |
| Manchester | Emirates |
| Mauritius | Emirates |
| Melbourne | Emirates, Etihad, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines |
| Miami | British Airways, Lufthansa |
| Milan | Emirates |
| Moscow | Emirates |
| Mumbai | Emirates, Etihad, Singapore Airlines |
| Munich | Emirates, Lufthansa |
| New York | Asiana Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Lufthansa |
| Nice | Emirates |
| Osaka | Thai Airways |
| Paris | Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways |
| Perth | Emirates |
| Prague | Emirates |
| Rome | Emirates |
| San Francisco | British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa |
| São Paulo | Emirates |
| Seoul | Asiana Airlines, Emirates, Korean Air, Lufthansa |
| Shanghai | Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines |
| Singapore | British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines |
| Sydney | Asiana Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines |
| Taipei | Emirates, Korean Air |
| Tokyo | Emirates, Thai Airways |
| Toronto | Emirates |
| Vancouver | British Airways |
| Vienna | Emirates |
| Washington | British Airways, Emirates |
| Zurich | Emirates, Singapore Airlines |
Airbus A380
FAQs
How many Airbus A380s are there in service?
As of December 2021, there were 239 A380s in service with 16 operators worldwide. Due to travel restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no demand for new aircraft to be made therefore the production of the Airbus A380 sadly ended in 2021, with the last A380 produced being delivered to Emirates.
How much does Airbus A380 cost?
The asking price of an Airbus A380 is $428 million dollars. Luckily, it’s not so expensive to buy a ticket on a plane flying the Airbus A380. The price depends on where and when you are travelling, as there are cheaper times to fly during the year, as discovered in our cheapest day to buy flights blog. It also depends on what class you are flying in, as Economy class will be a lot cheaper than Business or First as there are fewer luxuries.
How many passengers does Airbus A380 carry?
The passenger capacity of the Airbus A380 depends on the setup and layout of the plane. This is because first class and business class seats take up more room, so if there are larger sections for first and business class, there will be a lower capacity. However, the maximum possible passenger capacity on the Airbus A380 is 853, with many airlines opting for the standard set up giving 575 seats.
Which is bigger: the Airbus A380 or Boeing 787?
The A380 is the biggest world’s biggest aircraft, in height, width, wingspan, capacity, weight and power. However, the Boeing 787 is a longer model. This still makes the Airbus A380 bigger than the 787.
Can Airbus A380 land in India?
Yes, the Airbus A380 can land in India and flies to airports which have been equipped to accommodate the aircraft; New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. This, however, has not always been the case. Until 2014, the A380 could not land in India due to policies in place by the Indian government, due to worry foreign airlines may damage the profits of Air India. However, this ban was lifted and A380 began service in India.
What is the Airbus A380's top speed?
The Airbus A380 has a top speed of approximately 634 mph (1020 km/h) - it's able to fly just a bit faster than the Boeing 787 which reaches a top speed of 563 mph (907 km/h).
Which airline has the most A380s?
Emirates currently has a total of 118 Airbus A380s in their fleet and received their final five in 2021 before Airbus stopped producing the A380. As of June 2022, only 88 of Emirate's A380s are actively flying.
Do Air France use any Airbus A380s?
From 2009, Air France operated flights with 9 A380s, but decided to retire the aircraft from their fleet in May 2020 due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Air France is still in possession of 8 of its A380s which have been stored away in different locations: 2 of the A380s were sent to Tereul Airport in Spain and the remaining 6 were kept at Tabres-Lourdes Pyrenees Airport in France.
Is the A380 retired?
Airbus in 2019 announced that it will permanently stop production of the aircraft. The aircraft type has seen a number of order cancellations and retirements in the last few years. Increasing fuel prices and the industry's shift towards more efficient and less fuel guzzling twin engine aircraft has made it difficult for the quad-engine aircraft such as the Airbus A380 to continue operation whilst turning profits and therefore only a handful of airlines are currently turning profits from the deployment of this aircraft type . The following airlines have retired their A380s and are not currently using it as an active part of their fleet.
Air France
Etihad Airways
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Thai Airways International
