The biggest passenger jet in the world is another casualty of the pandemic
Editor's Note
The coronavirus pandemic is forcing airlines to rethink how they manage their fleets, and it has turned the biggest passenger jet in the world into another casualty of COVID-19.
That the Airbus A380 was not long for this world is not exactly news; it is already known that Airbus will close the assembly line next year at the latest. But the pandemic will likely hasten the end for many A380s in service with the world's airlines.
The drop in demand for air travel has pushed some airlines to ground, at least temporarily, the giant jet. The double-decker is just too big. With 500 seats on average, depending on how airlines configure the interiors, it's too expensive to operate when most of those seats would be empty.
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The first to take action was Lufthansa. Europe's biggest legacy airline said over the last weekend that it would ground its entire fleet of 14 A380s. Australian airline Qantas was next, saying it would stop flying most of its A380s, leaving just four in active service and using smaller Boeing 787s instead.
Then came the news that Korean Air and Asiana Airlines would temporarily stop flying their A380s, Airlineroute reported. And after that, Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Emirates, the biggest operator of the A380, has grounded 20 of them and is looking to defer the deliveries of the last eight it has on order.
With the current state of the air transport industry, it's difficult to predict whether all of the 58 A380s we know are grounded, as of Sunday, will return to service when demand picks up. That's about 25% of all A380s flying today.
The downturn in air traffic due to the virus may have exacerbated the short-term outlook for the A380, but its demise was already looming. For most airlines, it's too much airplane. Why fly a 500-seater when you can fly two 250-seaters cheaper on the same routes?
According to an internal Lufthansa memo seen by German aviation news site aero.de, the airline has been filling only about 35% of the seats on its A380s. That means the giant planes went out on long-haul routes with just 180 seats occupied on average. Any other jet in the Lufthansa long-haul fleet could have covered those flights, and leaving a lot of free seats. So the A380s will stay grounded until at least May, the memo said.
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Air France saw the writing on the wall before everybody else. Last year, even as airlines were doing just fine and traffic and profits were good, the French flag carrier said it would cut its A380s and replace them with smaller but more financially viable jets. We can now say that Benjamin Smith, who decided to do away with the A380s soon after he took over in 2018 as CEO of Air France-KLM, was a prescient leader.
Yet, even as the A380 has turned into a headache for the finance departments of airlines, crews and most passengers tend to be fans. While some A380 layouts aren't very comfortable or modern — like Air France's disappointing economy and business class — the double-decker often delivers a spectacular passenger experience in premium classes. You won't find a shower or first-class "apartments," much less an actual bar with a bartender, on any other plane.
The good news for passengers loyal to the A380 is that even if all of the currently grounded planes will never fly again, there will still be around 200 in service worldwide, most of them with Emirates. So, when air travel recovers after the coronavirus crisis, you'll still be able to enjoy the 10 things that make the A380 a unique airplane.
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.