Airbus A380 - FACC

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Market Outlook
Airbus predicts that passenger traffic
will increase by more than 5% per year
over the next 20 years, creating
demand for around 1,500 very large
aircraft (including 300 freighters),
which are expected to make some
3,400 flights per day out of 209 airports.
With 70 per cent of flights expected
to be clustered around 25 key
airports, more than half of all very large
aircraft likely to be used on flights from
just ten airports, eight of which will be
in Asia Pacific.
However, given the need to balance
the growing demand for air travel, with
limited landing slots at airports, growing
competition and an increasingly
sensitive environment, these aircraft
are likely to be used on a complete
range of domestic, local, regional and
intercontinental routes: one third are
expected to operate on routes of less
than 2,000 km (such as Hong-Kong to
Beijing) while another third will be
used on routes of over 9,000km (such
as Paris to Los Angeles).
After working closely with airlines,
industrial partners and suppliers, and a
whole host of experts from across the
industry, Airbus’ answer was the A380:
combining a wealth of innovative new
technology with all that is best about
the existing Airbus Family.
Entering service in 2006, the A380 will
generate up to 15 per cent lower seat
per mile costs, 13 per cent less fuel
consumption and half the noise of its
closest competitor, while carrying 35
per cent more passengers and meeting
strict local regulations, such as QC2 for
departure at London airports. Two
years later, the A380F will offer 30 per
cent more payload, 54 per cent more
volume and 2,600km/1,400nm more
range than competing aircraft.
In the future, further variants of the
A380 will be developed in response to
market demand when and if it evolves.
With 139 orders and commitments
from 13 customers before it has made
its first flight, Airbus remains confident
that the A380 is the solution that
the industry, passengers and the
environment need.
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