Airbus to cease production of A380 superjumbo jet

Airbus will cease deliveries of the A380 superjumbo jet in 2021, marking the end of the ‘giant of the skies’.

The announcement came as the manufacturer reached an agreement with Emirates which saw the airline reduce its order from 162 to 123 aircraft, swapping out a large order of A380s for a range of smaller, more energy efficient models.

The airline will receive 14 more A380s from 2019 until the end of 2021, taking its total number of superjumbo jets to 123.

“As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders.

“The A380 is not only an outstanding engineering and industrial achievement. Passengers all over the world love to fly on this great aircraft.

“Hence today’s announcement is painful for us and the A380 communities worldwide. But, keep in mind that A380s will still roam the skies for many years to come and Airbus will, of course, continue to fully support the A380 operators.”

The manufacturer said in a statement that 3,000 to 3,500 positions could potentially be impacted by the decision over the next three years.

The aircraft allowed Emirates to add customer experiences like Shower Spas and Onboard Lounges.

“Emirates has been a staunch supporter of the A380 since its very inception,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

“While we are disappointed to have to give up our order, and sad that the programme could not be sustained, we accept that this is the reality of the situation. For us, the A380 is a wonderful aircraft loved by our customers and our crew.

“It is a differentiator for Emirates. We have shown how people can truly fly better on the A380, and Emirates has set the standards for that by introducing customer experiences that are unique to the A380 like our Shower Spas and Onboard Lounge.

“The A380 will remain a pillar of our fleet well into the 2030s, and as we have always done, Emirates will continue to invest in our onboard product and services so our customers can be assured that the Emirates A380 experience will always be top-notch.”

The airline has instead ordered 40 A330-900 aircraft and 30 A350-900 aircraft.

Last week Qantas formally cancelled an order for eight A380s, and a spokesperson for the airline said the aircraft had not been part of Qantas’ fleet and network plans for some time.

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