Why is Airbus pulling the plug on the largest passenger plane?
Airbus will stop producing the A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, in two years’ time.
When it first took off 14 years ago, Airbus hoped what it called its ‘giant cruise liner in the sky’ would fly long into the 21st century.
But weak sales led to the end of one of Europe’s greatest industrial adventures. The last trigger was the cancellation of dozens of deliveries by Emirates, one of its biggest buyers.
While passengers loved it, airlines have struggled to fill the 500-plus seats while also dealing with the aircraft’s huge operating costs.
Does this mark the end of the super-jumbo dream?
Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam
Guests:
Alex Macheras – Aviation Analyst
David Learmount – Consulting editor, Flight Global
Andreas WIttmer – Managing Director, The Center for Aviation Competence, University of St. Gallen