The totally off-topic thread

[RAM]

Emirates has raised the bar once more - but not for Australian flights just yet. Debuting on Dubai/Copenhagen - that well known high demand route.

Emirates A380 sets record for most passenger seats on a plane

Emirates unveiled a redesigned Airbus A380 over the weekend that boasts a record-breaking 615 passenger seats.
The Airbus A380 is already the biggest commercial airliner in the world, with most carrier configurations accommodating around 520 passengers. Before Emirates debuted its new plane, Air France’s A 380s held the most passengers with 538 seats.

By scrapping the first class and trimming 18 flat-bed seats from business class, the airline was able to add 130 economy seats, or 13 rows with 10 seats in each.

But adding 2 toilets (from 15 to 17).

So simple passenger to toilet ratio (yes I know the old 1st class toilets did not get a decent workout) becomes around 36 passengers/toilet up from 34.

Adjusting for increased use of '1st' toilets actually means access to toilets for Y passengers actually improves.

Not so sure about meal service times though...

Are Emirates moving to a two tier service fleet now? With F for some routes and J as top for others?

 

[RAM]

This article gives much more insight into the change and also into the likely scrapping of SIA's A380s starting from 2017.

Raises some expensive questions for Q given their depreciation policy in the A380s.

Some good cross airline comparisons worth looking through.

A380 fleet profile: Emirates prepares for 615 seat configuration. SIA will dispose of early models | CAPA - Centre for Aviation
Outlook: the A380 second-hand market: the prospects for new operators

Increasingly the topic of discussion is the fate of A380s coming off lease.

​

Discussion around the A380's future has focused for some time on the prospect of an "A380neo" and how long the type's production can be sustained given a limited backlog - and one that rests heavily on one operator, Emirates. Increasingly the topic of discussion is the fate of A380s coming off lease. Singapore Airlines has a batch of A380s with 10 year leases expiring in 2017.

SIA in 2012 placed a follow-up order for five A380s, which are due to be delivered in 2017 and 2018. SIA intends for them to replace the A380s coming off lease rather than to be for growth. These SIA A380s were some of the first off the production line and, as would be expected for early models, do not have the efficiency and programme lessons learned from aircraft delivered later. SIA does not believe even handsome lease discounts makes this A380 cohort viable to operate.

Some believe it is most likely the five A380s coming being returned by SIA will be scrapped. Those looking for second-hand A380s have more viable options. There has been industry debate as to whether the leases would be renewed.

The theoretical argument was that it could have been cheaper for a lessor to give SIA an exceptional deal on renewing its A380 leases rather than placing the A380s with another customer. A discount would need to be weighed with the cost of updating the product on these A380s, which are becoming aged, and if there were suitable markets for the type to fly on. Liberalisation – to China, India and fifth freedoms to access North America – have not occurred as fast as hoped. But again, SIA does not believe this batch of A380s will be viable to continue operating.

 

[Pushka]

Use of the J class lavs by Y pax on a flight to Sydney today proved problematic. One guy came from the rear before the doors were even closed and wanted to use them. He was scuttled to the back quickly. But there were at least 4 moving to the front area because food service seemed slow. I was in Y also so interesting to see the procession without needing to get involved.

 

[docjames]

The high-Y config was always going to happen eventually.

I think the SQ situation is far more interesting - early build, Airbus will not want to see them scrapped, but SQ wont want to keep paying lease fees for these early builds which are presumably less capable (heavier base build / less payload) than new-builds and SQ have seemed from day 1 to have the plan to get rid of the early builds.

 

[Bindibuys]

WOW, just received at recorded message that I have $999.99 in credit towards a Qantas flight, press 1 to confirm my details.....

 

[Dr Ralph]

WOW, just received at recorded message that I have $999.99 in credit towards a Qantas flight, press 1 to confirm my details.....

What happened when you pressed '1'?

 

[penegal]

Had a bit of a screw-up on my last trip. I was out and about in the shadier parts of the village, and had my jacket stolen at a bar. It was quite a nice jacket, and also had a passport and wallet in the pockets.

The relative inconvenience of travelling on a different passport and cancelling the credit cards was less than the pain I felt realising that I wouldn't see my jacket again. The wallet was old, and the leather worn, so a good excuse to replace that.

Does that mean I am too frequent a traveller? or just materialistic?



This also means I have been a victim of petty theft, robbery, etc. twice in about 3 months

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

New rules on Aussie lost passports next year.
No fine but your replacement passport will be less than 10 year term.
No help in your situation if its not an Aussie passport and lost now of course.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...ut-your-passport/story-fn6yjmoc-1227595679485

 

[blackcat20]

Had a bit of a screw-up on my last trip. I was out and about in the shadier parts of the village, and had my jacket stolen at a bar. It was quite a nice jacket, and also had a passport and wallet in the pockets.

The relative inconvenience of travelling on a different passport and cancelling the credit cards was less than the pain I felt realising that I wouldn't see my jacket again. The wallet was old, and the leather worn, so a good excuse to replace that.

Does that mean I am too frequent a traveller? or just materialistic?



This also means I have been a victim of petty theft, robbery, etc. twice in about 3 months

Thats not good.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Dr Ralph, Bindibuys phone will be spammed for the rest of his/her life if she/he pressed one.
Best to press D for Delete SMS.

 

[RAM]

Had a bit of a screw-up on my last trip. I was out and about in the shadier parts of the village, and had my jacket stolen at a bar. It was quite a nice jacket, and also had a passport and wallet in the pockets.

Does that mean I am too frequent a traveller? or just materialistic?

Or perhaps just enjoying the 'fruits of the bar' marginally too much.

Had a friend many years back in his early 20s who 'enjoyed the fruits' way too much almost on a weekly/fortnightly basis. Good thing was that is was not while travelling, bad thing was he went through over 20 wallets in one year alone. He gave up having credit cards and carrying more than $75 in cash. That seemed to provide a cure.

Not suggesting you do the same just an extreme comparison.

Growing attached to some 'trusted/much loved object' is not materialistic - can be a happy aide memoire!

 

[penegal]

Or perhaps just enjoying the 'fruits of the bar' marginally too much.

There may have been some of that?

But to be honest I was relatively "with it" when this happened. Two nights earlier things were rather out of control and I came home with absolutely everything (including credit card receipts for drinks I don't remember drinking).

 

[JohnK]

There may have been some of that?

But to be honest I was relatively "with it" when this happened. Two nights earlier things were rather out of control and I came home with absolutely everything (including credit card receipts for drinks I don't remember drinking).

Too much alcohol can be a big problem. Misplaced all my money on a trip once 2 days into a ~14 day trip. Didn't remember much from night before and had to check-out of hotel to go to another city. Suspect I hid the money somewhere in room as I was already drunk the night before when I couldn't get the safe working and continued drinking until very late. Not fun. Still hurts today thinking about it.

 

[moa999]

The high-Y config was always going to happen eventually.

I think the SQ situation is far more interesting - early build, Airbus will not want to see them scrapped, but SQ wont want to keep paying lease fees

Also the MH birds which have been on the market for some time.

A lessor is always going to want to lease (income) versus scrap (cost) - and you'd think an airline somewhere can make them work if purchased cheaply enough

 

[moa999]

Not happy Jan!
Very expensive PLASMA I purchased many years ago LX508A has the best picture for sport on free TV and HD..... Today I find out that NEW HD of MPEG-4 that may not be compatible with my TV.... May need set to box Christ!!!!!

Pioneer Kuro. GREAT TV!!
Have the slightly cheaper 508XDA.

No problems for me however as its been connected up to my MPEG4 ready PS3 PlayTV for years. Pioneer tuner always average imho

 

[Bindibuys]

For Dr Ralph, Bindibuys phone will be spammed for the rest of his/her life if she/he pressed one.
Best to press D for Delete SMS.

The message came in on my 1 in 100 dial in switchboard, I get enough "s**t" calls a day without adding to it myself.
Normally I can easily block numbers coming in, but was swamped with calls at the time and did not record their number. My bad.

 

[RAM]

Also the MH birds which have been on the market for some time.

A lessor is always going to want to lease (income) versus scrap (cost) - and you'd think an airline somewhere can make them work if purchased cheaply enough

The 2nd article goes into why re-leasing the planes is likely too expensive to be viable for any other airline.

Main reason is that each airline's seating is 'proprietary'. Airbus appears to have made the A380 more 'rigid' in its ability to be re-seated vs say a 747-400 and there are plenty of them parked.

SQ will strip it or require the lessor to strip it (depending on lease details - given how the 'sale' was handled originally I think the lessor has to foot these costs). So new seating has to be purchased and fitted.

Given the weight issues and rapidly increasing maintenance costs/time as well as the other issues mentioned in the article - the lessor (Airbus) was unable to make it financially attractive for SQ to continue operating the aircraft and that's without facing the cost of gutting it - so for any other airline it is likely to be even worse of an option vs buying one new at a substantially lower weight, better engines and lower maintenance costs.

As Airbus is desperate to gain any new order for an A380 (puts off day of writing off development cost) the price of a new A380 is rumoured to be around the same price as it was in 2004/5 for the SQ's and Q's original orders. After inflation - a bargain (if you believe the marketing documents).

If SQ's planes are scrapped then Q's auditors will insist on a write-down of the Q A380 fleet.

As I understand it, Q's 'accounting' for a new plane's cost is quite imaginative and may involve a 'writing up' from the purchase price to the 'list' price for the plane. That was the only way the write downs two years ago could be explained.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Anybody see the Ange Postagolou feature on Australian Story tonight - great watch.

 

[straitman]

The high-Y config was always going to happen eventually.

I think the SQ situation is far more interesting - early build, Airbus will not want to see them scrapped, but SQ wont want to keep paying lease fees for these early builds which are presumably less capable (heavier base build / less payload) than new-builds and SQ have seemed from day 1 to have the plan to get rid of the early builds.

SQ has long had a policy of early turnover of aircraft. It is something they have practised for many years pre A380.

By doing so they manage to defer some of the larger maintenance items and these then become the problem of the new owner. It is also why a section of the aviation community won't have a lot to do with SQ.

Also the MH birds which have been on the market for some time.

A lessor is always going to want to lease (income) versus scrap (cost) - and you'd think an airline somewhere can make them work if purchased cheaply enough

Correct. The lease cost and the ongoing maintenance costs, combined, need to be considered.

 

[Hvr]

Wow not sure what is going around illness wise but went to work this evening all ok. Within a couple of hours I was sweating profusely and ready to vomit. Then I did. Still in pain and now home getting ready for bed.

Am off the next two days so hopefully fully recovered by then.