While the A380 is the quietest large jet in its class -- confirmed by many passengers on the flight to Sydney -- It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Airbus.
The A380 has arrived 18 months behind scheduled and with a cost blow-out of 4.8 billion euros (AU$7.5 billion).
Airbus has also struggled to get orders, having secured only 189 to date. In contrast, Boeing has secured 710 orders on its new jumbo and the A380's direct competition, the mid-sized 787 Dreamliner which is also behind schedule and due to be delivered to the first customer, Japanese airline ANA, in December 2008.
Qantas will take delivery of its first A380 in August 2008, giving Singapore Airlines a 10 month headstart in Australia.
Credit: Luke Anderson/ZDNet Australia
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shauno
30/10/2007 10:48 PM
Wrong! The 787 dreamliner is not the A380's direct opposition its a totally different aircraft in the same class size as say the A330 340 and 777. Although Airbus does not have any thing near ready to rival the 787's technology in the same class. The only opposition to the A380 is the 747.
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gwe
06/11/2007 04:14 PM
exelent
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