Which airline has the best A380?
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- JS50557
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Which airline has the best A380?
Tall order ... Qantas will have three of the 450-seat double deckers by the end of the year
IT'S game-on in the battle of the big birds after the first Qantas Airbus A380 touched down in Sydney.
The arrival of the aircraft, before a crowd of Qantas workers, ends Singapore Airlines' monopoly on services to Australia by the double-decker planes, reports The Australian.
It also lays down a strong challenge to Dubai-based juggernaut Emirates before it starts its A380 service in February.
The arrival of Emirates will make Sydney, at least temporarily, the only city to be serviced by A380s from all three operators of the big jets.
The challenge began when Qantas conducted a low-level flight over Sydney Harbour to introduce the jet to its customers after a successful flight from Toulouse, France, via Singapore.
Pictures: The Qantas A380
Arrival: Qantas' first A380 touches down
Pictures: Inside Emirates' A380
Pictures: Singapores' luxury A380
The airline will have three of the 450-seat double deckers by the end of the year and will launch them initially on routes from Melbourne and Sydney to Los Angeles before taking on Singapore and Emirates on the kangaroo route to London.
About 80 passengers arriving back on the ferry flight from Toulouse yesterday were sprawled out in the 72-seat business-class cabin that is likely to become the principal war zone for the three carriers.
Qantas has opted for a gun-metal grey variation of its existing Skybed as its weapon in the fight for crucial business passengers.
In what is likely to be a closely fought battle, each of the airlines has opted for a different strategy based around lie-flat seats.
Singapore has opted for the world's widest seat in a four-across configuration that gives everyone aisle access. Emirates has given business-class passengers their own private suite, also with guaranteed aisle access, complete with a personal mini-bar. It also has a full bar at the back of the plane that has proved to be a big hit with customers.
But it is the Australian plane that provides the business cabin with the biggest sense of space.
Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said the airline was confident its new product would give it an edge.
"We are exceptionally confident that the product we have on this aircraft will last for years and I think it will be the envy of many other airlines," he said.
Qantas is hoping publicity surrounding the arrival of the A380 will offset the damage its reputation has suffered in recent months over perceptions it has maintenance problems, though the suggestion has been strenuously denied by the airline.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon conceded in Toulouse that the airline's research showed its image was taking a battering because of what he termed "pretty excessive" media coverage in the wake of the QF30 oxygen bottle explosion near Manila in July, as well as recent reliability problems.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/printstor ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He blamed recent falls in on-time performance and increases in cancellations on industrial action by engineers.
Steve Creedy flew from Toulouse courtesy of Qantas
Read more A380 news in The Australian.
IT'S game-on in the battle of the big birds after the first Qantas Airbus A380 touched down in Sydney.
The arrival of the aircraft, before a crowd of Qantas workers, ends Singapore Airlines' monopoly on services to Australia by the double-decker planes, reports The Australian.
It also lays down a strong challenge to Dubai-based juggernaut Emirates before it starts its A380 service in February.
The arrival of Emirates will make Sydney, at least temporarily, the only city to be serviced by A380s from all three operators of the big jets.
The challenge began when Qantas conducted a low-level flight over Sydney Harbour to introduce the jet to its customers after a successful flight from Toulouse, France, via Singapore.
Pictures: The Qantas A380
Arrival: Qantas' first A380 touches down
Pictures: Inside Emirates' A380
Pictures: Singapores' luxury A380
The airline will have three of the 450-seat double deckers by the end of the year and will launch them initially on routes from Melbourne and Sydney to Los Angeles before taking on Singapore and Emirates on the kangaroo route to London.
About 80 passengers arriving back on the ferry flight from Toulouse yesterday were sprawled out in the 72-seat business-class cabin that is likely to become the principal war zone for the three carriers.
Qantas has opted for a gun-metal grey variation of its existing Skybed as its weapon in the fight for crucial business passengers.
In what is likely to be a closely fought battle, each of the airlines has opted for a different strategy based around lie-flat seats.
Singapore has opted for the world's widest seat in a four-across configuration that gives everyone aisle access. Emirates has given business-class passengers their own private suite, also with guaranteed aisle access, complete with a personal mini-bar. It also has a full bar at the back of the plane that has proved to be a big hit with customers.
But it is the Australian plane that provides the business cabin with the biggest sense of space.
Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said the airline was confident its new product would give it an edge.
"We are exceptionally confident that the product we have on this aircraft will last for years and I think it will be the envy of many other airlines," he said.
Qantas is hoping publicity surrounding the arrival of the A380 will offset the damage its reputation has suffered in recent months over perceptions it has maintenance problems, though the suggestion has been strenuously denied by the airline.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon conceded in Toulouse that the airline's research showed its image was taking a battering because of what he termed "pretty excessive" media coverage in the wake of the QF30 oxygen bottle explosion near Manila in July, as well as recent reliability problems.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/printstor ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He blamed recent falls in on-time performance and increases in cancellations on industrial action by engineers.
Steve Creedy flew from Toulouse courtesy of Qantas
Read more A380 news in The Australian.
- js51672
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Air France is now also using the A380!
- GoldenEagle
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Jep, i want to vote that one!js51672 wrote:Air France is now also using the A380!
But i choose the A380 of Emirates.
Gr, GoldenEagle.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/90450092@N05/
- Hans
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
haven't flown any of them, let alone all, so can't make a decision.
anybody around here willing to sponsor me to check them all out?
anybody around here willing to sponsor me to check them all out?
- Boudewijn van Oirschot
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Hans wrote:haven't flown any of them, let alone all, so can't make a decision.
anybody around here willing to sponsor me to check them all out?
Maybe anyone is very rich to pay two tickets for us
I think I chose Emirates. I have flown Singapore Airlines and I was not really impressed as I expected a better airline.
- GoldenEagle
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Wow, lucky you! But i like the Collor Scheme of Emirates more than Singapore of Qantas, to i have seen already much pictures of them inside.Boudewijn van Oirschot wrote: I think I chose Emirates. I have flown Singapore Airlines and I was not really impressed as I expected a better airline.
Gr, GoldenEagle.
Photo site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90450092@N05/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90450092@N05/
- MAS017
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
May I vote after 18dec09 ?
Will fly tomorrow CDG-JFK and return on 17dec09 JFK-CDG, so will only know after those trips...
Will fly tomorrow CDG-JFK and return on 17dec09 JFK-CDG, so will only know after those trips...
- Boudewijn van Oirschot
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
MAS017 wrote:May I vote after 18dec09 ?
Will fly tomorrow CDG-JFK and return on 17dec09 JFK-CDG, so will only know after those trips...
tell me how that flight was!!
I will fly AMS-CDG-JFK in March next year, by A380.. so
- streep
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Most of those pictures refer to the business or first class sections in the airplane.GoldenEagle wrote: Wow, lucky you! But i like the Collor Scheme of Emirates more than Singapore of Qantas, to i have seen already much pictures of them inside.
Gr, GoldenEagle.
In economy they are probably as bad as the rest.
- Hurricane
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
The A380 VVIP "Flying Palace" will be only 380 that will really matter
Adios, H.
Adios, H.
Groeten,
Ron
Ron
- phkza
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Re: Which airline has the best A380?
Probably the best looking from the outside will be the Etihad ones. Can't wait to see that paintscheme on the A380. The ones from Air France and Lufthansa are, in my opinion, just large flying containers of white paint. And think about the British Airways A380, they'll look awful with those blue bellies!
Still, this is just judgement from the outside. From the inside I've only seen Singapore's First Class, awesome lay-out (didn't get to fly in it, sadly...)
Still, this is just judgement from the outside. From the inside I've only seen Singapore's First Class, awesome lay-out (didn't get to fly in it, sadly...)