A380 - Master Thread

[feb01mel]

Just returned from a trip to SIN, outbound on KB and return on KD. Outbound the aircraft was looking much the worse for wear. UD window 74A, the lockers wouldn't close without putting books on top to keep them shut, footrest wouldn't budge and about 3hrs out of SIN my AVOD died. Couldn't restart it and no offer of a seat change.

Coming home last night, 34D has to be one of the coldest seats I've ever sat in. Cold air quietly blowing on us all night, I was frozen by the time we reached MEL. Plus one very unfriendly Lead crew member made for a quite unpleasant experience.

Neither experience what I've come to enjoy about SQ.

Write in to SQ, tell them about how your IFE died on you, and ask for the customer care in-flight duty free voucher. Onboard, if that happens, and if you are not offered a seat change, it is logical that the airline compensates you.

On the leading cabin crew who is unfriendly, write in as well, the ward leader will either warn them or penalise them with demerit points.

[SQJunkie]

Just returned from a trip to SIN, outbound on KB and return on KD. Outbound the aircraft was looking much the worse for wear. UD window 74A, the lockers wouldn't close without putting books on top to keep them shut, footrest wouldn't budge and about 3hrs out of SIN my AVOD died. Couldn't restart it and no offer of a seat change.

Coming home last night, 34D has to be one of the coldest seats I've ever sat in. Cold air quietly blowing on us all night, I was frozen by the time we reached MEL. Plus one very unfriendly Lead crew member made for a quite unpleasant experience.

Neither experience what I've come to enjoy about SQ.

Exactly reasons why the 744 needs to leave the fleet ASAP. It's great for a few on here to be sad to see the old bird leave, but for the large majority they want a working seat, IFE and a new interior.

Dobson73's experience was on an A380. Not 744.

[FlyBoy]

Just returned from a trip to SIN, outbound on KB and return on KD. Outbound the aircraft was looking much the worse for wear. UD window 74A, the lockers wouldn't close without putting books on top to keep them shut, footrest wouldn't budge and about 3hrs out of SIN my AVOD died. Couldn't restart it and no offer of a seat change.

Coming home last night, 34D has to be one of the coldest seats I've ever sat in. Cold air quietly blowing on us all night, I was frozen by the time we reached MEL. Plus one very unfriendly Lead crew member made for a quite unpleasant experience.

Neither experience what I've come to enjoy about SQ.

Exactly reasons why the 744 needs to leave the fleet ASAP. It's great for a few on here to be sad to see the old bird leave, but for the large majority they want a working seat, IFE and a new interior.

[Dobson73]

Poor experiences with A380

Just returned from a trip to SIN, outbound on KB and return on KD. Outbound the aircraft was looking much the worse for wear. UD window 74A, the lockers wouldn't close without putting books on top to keep them shut, footrest wouldn't budge and about 3hrs out of SIN my AVOD died. Couldn't restart it and no offer of a seat change.

Coming home last night, 34D has to be one of the coldest seats I've ever sat in. Cold air quietly blowing on us all night, I was frozen by the time we reached MEL. Plus one very unfriendly Lead crew member made for a quite unpleasant experience.

Neither experience what I've come to enjoy about SQ.

[FN-GM]

That makes sense. Thanks for your input

[zvezda]

I would have thought it would have been in airbus interest to get a move on and get the aircraft delivered ASAP. Personally it seems a long time. But im not really an expert in the subject.

The situation is more complicated. Given the size of the order backlog (nearly 200) and the rate at which new orders are coming in (averaging about 20 per year over the last 8 years), there is an optimal number to produce per year. I guess that's probably between 24 and 30. Increasing the rate means the fixed production assets are better utilized. It also may possibly result in more sales due to increased availability of production slots. However, Airbus risk burning through their order backlog and having to close the line before 2020. Also, it is very inefficient to repeatedly increase and decrease the production rate because losing experienced labour and then having to train new workers is costly. Clearly the 10 to 12 per year that we've seen recently is too few. The current year's production of 18 to 20 is also, in my opinion, too few. However, these low numbers have been due primarily to airlines deferring delivery and secondarily to production problems. The production line has a theoretical maximum capacity of 45 per year. It's clear that there have not been enough orders to justify such a rate. Airbus have claimed that they plan to get the rate up to 3 per month by the end of 2011 which, in my opinion, is about the limit of plausibility.

Based on the convoys so far this year and the short-term demand from the airlines to fulfill orders, I'm expecting 24 to 28 deliveries in 2011 and slightly more in 2012. Anyway, SQ's last WhaleJet is currently scheduled for delivery in January 2012.

Most airlines in the market for VLAs seem to be waiting for Boeing's immanent announcement regarding the future of the 777-300ER. We may see a new round of WhaleJet orders next year if airlines are disappointed with the Boeing announcement and that might justify a production rate of 36 WhaleJets per year.

[FN-GM]

I would have thought it would have been in airbus interest to get a move on and get the aircraft delivered ASAP. Personally it seems a long time. But im not really an expert in the subject.

[zvezda]

What happens between now and delivery. Why does it take so long please?

Here is a list of the elapsed time between first flight and delivery for each of SQ's WhaleJets:

9V-SKA 76 weeks
9V-SKB 77 weeks
9V-SKC 69 weeks
9V-SKD 57 weeks
9V-SKE 27 weeks
9V-SKF 30 weeks
9V-SKG 30 weeks
9V-SKH 24 weeks
9V-SKI 25 weeks
9V-SKJ 28 weeks
9V-SKK 44 weeks

9V-SKL's first flight was 23 July 2010. 9V-SKM's first flight was 29 September 2010. For 9V-SKL to be delivered in December would require setting a new record of 23 weeks, which I think is possible. For 9V-SKM to be delivered in January, which some people here are asserting will happen, would require a new record of 17 weeks, which I don't believe is possible any time soon.

The record for the QF cabin is 21 weeks, for the EK cabin 23 weeks, for AF and LH 25 weeks.

[StarG]

R class shows up in JFK/EWR box on my latest corp fare sheet. A good indication of the next A380 route?

[zvezda]

oh right i didnt think it would take so long.

Neither did Airbus or the airlines. It should be three to four months from first flight to delivery. I think they'll get it down to four months by the end of next year.

thanks for your useful information one gain zvezda

You're welcome.

[FN-GM]

oh right i didnt think it would take so long.

thanks for your useful information one gain zvezda

[zvezda]

What happens between now and delivery. Why does it take so long please?

Most of that time is spent installing the interior. Painting also takes some time, then a fair bit of testing.

[FN-GM]

What happens between now and delivery. Why does it take so long please?

[zvezda]

9V-SKM is in Hamburg

9V-SKM landed at Finkenwerder!

Photos here:
http://www.aviation-friends-hamburg-...d.php?tid=2832

First flight to delivery should be five to six months.

[zvezda]

Word from TLS is that 9V-SKM has passed all the checks during her first flight and is now on her way to Finkenwerder. She should be landing soon.