Some industry experts called last week’s announcement that Airbus will cease production of the A380 a non-event; rumors of the airplane’s demise had been circulating for years. Airbus made the final decision after sales of the giant airplane dwindled with no new orders over the past few years. Recently, the company also lost an order for 40 of the giant airliners from Emirates, an airline already operating 108 A380s. Qantas Airlines canceled its order for eight of the airplanes.
Airbus to Halt A380 Production
Key Takeaways:
- Airbus is discontinuing production of the A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft, by 2021 due to dwindling sales and lost orders from major customers.
- The A380's utility was limited to very long-haul, high-demand routes, which, combined with its need for significant airport infrastructure upgrades, deterred most airlines.
- Airlines ultimately preferred smaller, more flexible aircraft, leading to no U.S. carrier ever purchasing the A380.
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