Speculation Boeing to announce new 747-8 customer at Farnborough

[Cool Cat Phil]

I'm hoping for a VA international expansion, would let them bring back their JNB route and compete with QF to south america, too.

I'm well and truly prepared for disappointment though!

That would throw a cat amongst the pigeons, but highly unlikely. I don't believe much excitement will come out of VA in terms of expanding their long haul flight network anytime soon. Stranger things have happened though.

 

[TomVexille]

That would throw a cat amongst the pigeons, but highly unlikely. I don't believe much excitement will come out of VA in terms of expanding their long haul flight network anytime soon. Stranger things have happened though.

Definitely. I think VA would probably be aiming for daily BNE-LAX and MEL-LAX before they start adding new continents.

 

[RAM]

Seems to me that a QF-painted 748i would be a pipe dream. I hope not, but unless they were to fob off their A380s to someone who really wants them (cough, EK, cough) and go with a simplified B748i/A330/B737 mainline fleet....but their would have to be some incomprehensible economics in play to make it worthwhile selling off near new A380s.

Memory is a terrible thing, it can play such tricks - QF A380s are not as new as you may think. Q ranks 9th out of the 12 airlines operating them for age of A380s.

As shown below the 1st three will be 6 years old by year end, the next three 5 or nearly 5 yrs old etc. The 2nd hand market does not exist (yet) and given discounts being offered for new orders a 2nd hand market would be lucky to achieve 25-30% of list if you could find a buyer. Airbus planes historically (A350 may be different..) require more costly/timely maintenance than Boeing planes at any point in their life.

Also the Airbus planes generally do not work so well as freighters which is why you still see so many MD80s, 747-200 conversions flying but the list of Airbus is a fraction. The B777 as a passenger plane carries more freight in addition to its passengers & their luggage than the A380.

The 747-8 carries has more freight capacity and is a more desirable freighter which is why the bulk of 747-8s ordered are as the pure freighter version and were the first delivered.

"The 747-8 is a new airplane with new engines, new wings and a dramatically enhanced passenger experience. With 51 additional seats and 26% more revenue cargo volume than the 747-400," Boeing: The Boeing 747-8 Family: A Proud Tradition of Value Continues

Total cargo capacity 161.5 cu m (5,705 cu ft) including 7 pallets and 16 LD-1 containers plus bulk storage of 18.1 cu m (640 cu ft);

But to take it from an unbiased source - have a look at the Emirates site: Our Fleet - Airbus 380-800 - Emirates SkyCargo
It shows:
- the A380-800 can carry an additional 8,000kgs of cargo in addition to a full passenger load
- the B777-300ER can carry an additional 23,000kgs of cargo in addition to a full passenger load

This is where Q not going with the B777 lost a huge slice of the previously lucrative international air cargo market out of Aust it serviced with its pre-A380 fleet. If you look at their competitors in/out of Aust predominantly with B777s earning nearly 3x the premium air cargo fees. I suspect this also is partly behind the Emirates B777 decision for flights to Perth as well.

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Airbus A380

12

4.8 years

On 12 airlines operating this type of aircraft Qantas ranks 9

 

[RAM]

4 engines?

It pays to stay current (and not rely on planespotters.com alone!)

Aircraft	Number	Age	Rank for the age by aircraft type
Airbus A319	30	12.3 years	On 133 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 110
Airbus A320	59	12.2 years	On 241 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 160
Airbus A321	62	9.7 years	On 77 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 41
Airbus A330	19	7 years	On 108 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 54
Airbus A340	43	11.1 years	On 47 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 11
Airbus A380	11	3.4 years	On 12 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 7
Boeing 737	25	23.1 years	On 267 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 137
Boeing 747	31	11.3 years	On 90 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 12
Boeing 777	3	0.5 years	On 65 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 1
McDonnell Douglas MD-11	17	15.8 years	On 14 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 1
TOTAL	300	11.8 years	The calculation of the fleet age can be approximated because it is only based on the supported aircraft

 

[mannej]

It pays to stay current (and not rely on planespotters.com alone!)

Aircraft	Number	Age	Rank for the age by aircraft type
Airbus A319	30	12.3 years	On 133 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 110
Airbus A320	59	12.2 years	On 241 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 160
Airbus A321	62	9.7 years	On 77 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 41
Airbus A330	19	7 years	On 108 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 54
Airbus A340	43	11.1 years	On 47 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 11
Airbus A380	11	3.4 years	On 12 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 7
Boeing 737	25	23.1 years	On 267 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 137
Boeing 747	31	11.3 years	On 90 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 12
Boeing 777	3	0.5 years	On 65 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 1
McDonnell Douglas MD-11	17	15.8 years	On 14 airlines operating this type of aircraft Lufthansa ranks 1
TOTAL	300	11.8 years	The calculation of the fleet age can be approximated because it is only based on the supported aircraft

Hold on, I wasn't the one who suggested that LH did not fly the 777, perhaps you should quote the appropriate post...

LH fly 777s but not for pax - cargo only at this stage.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

LH fly 777s but not for pax - cargo only at this stage.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think it had four jet engines attached not two my bad


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from the seating configuration it was an A340-600.