A380 - Master Thread

[Guy Betsy]

SQ will have showers too on their A380s!

Just heard this bit of info from someone I met over the weekend who used to work for SQ sales in NY.

He said that SQ actually wanted to install showers on their A380s but due to construction problems didn't, and let EK have theirs first with showers. Apparently the latter series will have showers on board for F passengers and then once that comes round, SQ will then retrofit the older models too.

And oh ya, SQ really hates UA. So much so that they have threatened to withdraw from *A!

[Nick C]

Dunno. I think one pair, EK3801/3802. Don't know if they've run any more in the 4 days since.

Found this on the EK site.

A380 flights will be operational from 8th August 2008 on Emirates flight EK 201 from Dubai to New York JFK International Airport (Sunday/Wednesday/Friday) and on Emirates flight EK 202 from New York JFK International Airport to Dubai (Sunday/Wednesday/Friday), with inaugural flights between New York JFK International Airport and Dubai on 1st and 3rd August 2008.

Means 4 flights so far

Did SQ include the flights where pax boarded but aircraft had to be swapped to a 744?

[SQflyergirl]

How many flights has the EK A380 done so far apart from the inaugural DXB-JFK vv?

Dunno. I think one pair, EK3801/3802. Don't know if they've run any more in the 4 days since.

[Nick C]

I hope they included the maiden EK3801 when counting

How many flights has the EK A380 done so far apart from the inaugural DXB-JFK vv?

[SQflyergirl]

http://www.singaporeair.com/mediacen...ws/NE_4108.jsp

I hope they included the maiden EK3801 when counting

[Nick C]

http://www.singaporeair.com/mediacen...ws/NE_4108.jsp

Singapore Airlines Celebrates 1000th A380 Flight

Singapore Airlines made aviation history again yesterday, operating its 1,000th A380 commercial flight.

SQ 322, which departed from Singapore Changi Airport for London’s Heathrow Airport at 2330 hrs (Singapore time) on 4 August 2008, is the 1000th A380 flight since operations of the world’s largest passenger aircraft were launched on 25 October 2007.

The Singapore Airlines A380 has performed remarkably during its almost-ten months of commercial service, clocking 8500 flying hours and carrying almost 400,000 customers.

Strong load factors are a validation from customers of the Singapore Airlines A380 cabin product.

The A380 features the Singapore Airlines Suites, a class so luxurious it offers customers their very own private cabin in the sky; the new Singapore Airlines Business Class, showcasing the world’s widest seat in its class; and the new Singapore Airlines Economy Class, which promises greater comfort through the use of intelligently designed features.

To meet continuing demand from customers, Singapore Airlines has stepped up training for crew, so that more are qualified to operate the A380 in the coming years. To date, 140 pilots and 2,000 cabin crew have been trained to fly and serve onboard the aircraft.

Singapore Airlines currently has five A380s in service. It is scheduled to receive a further 14 A380s (the next one in September 2008), and has options on a further six.

[toulouse]

The above link is faulty...

TRANSCRIPT OFSINGAPORE AIRLINES FINANCIAL RESULTS BRIEFING
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2008
(
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...tsBriefing.pdf

[slacker]

A380 :

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/d ... iefing.pdf

The above link is faulty...

[toulouse]

sq is happy or not happy with the A380 (9 months entry service ) ..

[maxmin]

Coffee mugs comes with a handle.. those cup holders will not be able to cradle a coffee mug..

Well, yes, but every "commuter" coffee mug (usually stainless steel looking) that I've seen doesn't have a handle. Probably they were all designed in case an A380 pilot needed one... or because every cup holder in every car (so far that I've encountered) does not have a cut-out for a handle. I rest my case.

[kapitan]

Ah but look again, ... just beyond each outer armrest , between what looks like a microphone and the window.... looks like you could happily cradle a highball glass in there (JW Blue and soda, anyone ?) That would compliment the "Entertainment" button (left hand side of ceiling switch panel).

Incidentally, I wonder what that large handle is for underneath the window ? Does it operate a robotic arm on the outside that can be used to pluck anyone trying to board on an award ticket?

Oh I just noticed how flimsy that door lock appears to be. Could one well placed kick from the outside send it whizzing across the cockpit. Seriously, perhaps that detail should be masked from the panorama?

Coffee mugs comes with a handle.. those cup holders will not be able to cradle a coffee mug..

[maxmin]

Looking into the cockpit, I understand why pilots drink their coffee out of disposal cups..... there are no coffee mug holders!!!!!

Ah but look again, ... just beyond each outer armrest , between what looks like a microphone and the window.... looks like you could happily cradle a highball glass in there (JW Blue and soda, anyone ?) That would compliment the "Entertainment" button (left hand side of ceiling switch panel).

Incidentally, I wonder what that large handle is for underneath the window ? Does it operate a robotic arm on the outside that can be used to pluck anyone trying to board on an award ticket?

Oh I just noticed how flimsy that door lock appears to be. Could one well placed kick from the outside send it whizzing across the cockpit. Seriously, perhaps that detail should be masked from the panorama?

[kapitan]

In case people haven't seen this yet--amazing interactive view of the A380 cockpit:

http://www.gillesvidal.com/blogpano/cockpit1.htm

Looking into the cockpit, I understand why pilots drink their coffee out of disposal cups..... there are no coffee mug holders!!!!!

[toulouse]

Singapore Airlines is achieving load factors of 95% on its A380 services to London Heathrow, according to airline sources, while the four A380s currently in service are averaging nearly 80%. SIA officials said the novelty of flying aboard the new jumbo aircraft has contributed to their popularity. It launched A380 flights to Tokyo Narita last month (ATWOnline, May 21) and is scheduled to take delivery of its fifth A380 before July.


http://www.atwonline.com/news/other.htm ... F18%2F2008

[kelvgoh]

i'm making a substantiated guess here, but i'm thinking it should be 318/321.

321 being the night flight out of london prolly has a probable higher pax load than 319 (the 1830 departure).

and i'm thinking that the 318/321 cycle makes more sense too cos it fits quite snugly into the existing 322/317 cycle.

317 arrives in sgp at 0745hrs, 5 hr layover and can go to LHR as SQ318 at 1240hrs.
318 then comes back as 321
321 arrives in SIN at 1930 hrs, 3.5 hour layover, and can go out as 322 at 2320.

so unless my maths is wrong, SQ will only need three A380s to service 2 LHR services.

if 308/319 is used, SQ will only have 1 hr to turnover the previous day's 317 (arr in SGP 0740hrs) to serve 308 (dep SGP 0900 hrs). if 317 is delayed at lhr even by a bit (which is always likely), its gg to be too mad a scramble for this cycle to make sense, other than having a fourth A380 on standby.

also a quick look at the other (announced and plausible) a380 routes:

NRT 638/637 2340hrs/1735hrs+1, SYD 221/222 2035/2140+1 and even SQ1/2 to SFO via HKG, it just seems that 318/321 is a better fit.

just looking at the above line though, seems that narita and sydney look a pretty decent fit themselves.

purely reasoned guesswork which assumes that LHR will get the upgauge with the first tranche of 10 whalejets, but this would be how i would run it. correct me if i'm wrong yeah?