Super-jumbo just got bigger to boost sales
AIRBUS will fight off flagging sales of its super-jumbo jet – by adding even more seats to the giant of the skies.
The plane maker has unveiled the A380plus, a more fuel-efficient version of its A380 jet, in order to entice carriers back to jumbo jets.
Airbus said the A380plus will feature a fuel-saving wing-tip design aimed at reducing fuel burn by up to 4pc – making it cheaper and more efficient.
It claimed it will also allow for up to 80 extra seats, with no compromise on comfort. The jet can currently have more than 800 seats, or 525 with a typical three-class configuration.
It is the latest series of modifications to the jet announced this year – including stairways and an updated cabin rest area – and comes amid fears for the future of the super-jumbo, which has suffered from flagging sales.
Earlier this month Airbus reduced its forecast for the A380 by 6pc to 1,184 orders and the firm is reportedly considering lowering production rates for the A380 to below one-a-month from 2018 if it fails to secure orders this year.
Carriers have been turning to smaller twin-engine jets that cost less to fly and maintain in order to pass cheaper fares onto customers. Rival Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, for example, has proven popular among budget long-haul carriers like Norwegian, which offers fares for a fraction of what traditional airlines charge.
The move has sparked a boom in low-cost travel, with Air France planning to launch its own lowcost brand Boost this autumn.
British legacy carriers have also been forced to adapt to the increasingly competitive pricing market, with BA owner IAG launching its own budget longhaul airline Level earlier this year.
Airbus’s announcement came as Boeing announced the launch of its 737 short-haul jet at the Paris Air Show yesterday. The plane, a longer version of its 737 short-haul jet, is tipped to be a challenger to Airbus’s A321neo.
Boeing said it had received more than 240 orders for the narrow-bodied plane, which can carry up to 230 passengers, and commitments from at least ten customers. Airbus’s A321neo can carry 240. Meanwhile budget airline Monarch announced it had ordered an extra 15 Boeing 737 Max 8s as part of an upgrade of its fleet. The planes, valued at around £1.3bn each, will increase the airline’s fleet from 30 to 45.
Monarch, which owns some Airbus planes, said it plans to have an all-Boeing fleet by 2022.
Andrew Swaffield, chief executive, said: ‘This is a momentous day for our business. The highly fuel- efficient fleet will also help Monarch reduce its environmental impact and add £100m-a-year to our bottom line from lower fuel and servicing costs.
‘Furthermore, Boeing’s willingness to partner with us to grow our maintenance and repair business is a tremendous endorsement of Monarch’s expertise and experience in this area.’