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Airbus A380 finds favour with airlines amid planemakers’ delivery delays

Previously deemed surplus to needs, these super jumbos are now prized for their bigger capacity in slot-constrained airports, say consultants

 Tay Peck Gek
Published Tue, Oct 22, 2024 · 03:27 PM
    • Elbe Flugzeugwerke wants to tap the A380 market as airlines re-deploy the aircraft.
    • Elbe Flugzeugwerke wants to tap the A380 market as airlines re-deploy the aircraft. PHOTO: ELBE FLUGZEUGWERKE

    CARRIERS, which had consigned their Airbus A380 jets to storage during the pandemic or even for scrapping, are re-deploying the super jumbo plane now, as a stop-gap measure against a shortage of planes amid delivery delays by planemakers.

    Such a move has not only given the large aircraft a new lease of life; maintenance, repair and overhaul players are also seeing a business opportunity.

    Mabel Kwan, managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy, citing statistics from the Centre for Aviation (Capa), noted that there were 171 A380s in service, accounting for 83 per cent of the global fleet of the aircraft as at end-September.

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