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Watching an Airbus A380 Roll Through a Tiny French Village
Zach Honig
Contributor
Oct. 12, 2016
•
3 min read
Watching an Airbus A380 Roll Through a Tiny French Village
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I'm currently in Toulouse, France for this week's Airbus event and Singapore Airlines A350 delivery. And, if that wasn't already exciting enough, just last night, a much-anticipated Airbus A380 convoy made its way through a small French town en-route to Toulouse — a once-in-a-lifetime event for many aviation fans. So, of course I got to see it, right? Nope. By the time I got confirmation of the below schedule, it was too late to change my flight. I arrived at TLS just hours after the plane completed its journey to the airport.
Fortunately, you can avoid making the same mistake — you can check the status of the next A380 convoy here, and you can even subscribe for updates.
So, why couldn't I make it to TLS in time? Here are the flights I took — booked in United economy and upgraded to BusinessFirst with a Global Premier Upgrade:
If I were to leave a day earlier, instead, my best option would have been a lot more expensive — and in coach:
That said, I did manage to catch a glimpse of the Singapore A350 (with 10,000 livery) as soon as I landed in Toulouse:
And, thanks to a very generous reader, you don't need to miss out on the A380 convoy — even though I didn't make it to Toulouse in time. TPG reader Arnaud shared his A380 convoy photos, captured a few months ago. The convoy usually passes through the town of Gimont during the late evening hours. The procession Arnaud caught began with an A380 wing.
The trucks carrying these components are both wide and long, so turns are extremely difficult to maneuver, if not impossible. For example, rather than circle the roundabout below, the convoy just drives straight through.
Another wing section followed — these trucks really help put the A380's size into perspective.
Then, Arnaud caught the horizontal tail plane.
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A few minutes later, the nose/cockpit and forward fuselage appeared.
Followed by the center fuselage, covered in tarps.
This really is an entire A380 — carried through French villages on gigantic trucks. An incredible sight!
Last up was the rear fuselage and tailcone.
If you're heading to Toulouse for an Airbus event scheduled within a day or two of the convoy (like me!), this is a no-brainer, but it could even make sense to make a trip out just to catch the A380 and some Airbus-related attractions, such as the Aeroscopia museum, the Airbus Discovery tour and the Airbus Panoramic tour.
Have you managed to catch an A380 convoy?
All A380 photos by Arnaud B.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.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.