Earlier this week we reported speculation from Emirates insiders about the potential plan to decommission 40% of Emirates Airbus A380 fleet amidst concerns of traffic decline due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Since then airline President, Tim Clark, has spoken out to the Financial Times with an update on the carrier’s plans – Aiming to restore the airlines entire fleet by the Summer of 2022 – We take a look.
Mr. Clark said in an interview that Emirate’s current fleet of Airbus Superjumbos (A380s) would “continue to play an important part in the airline’s future” adding that despite plans from Airbus to cease manufacturing of the type next year, his carrier was “planning to fully deploy all its aircraft in the summer of 2022 based on its outlook for a recovery in air travel to take up to two years.” Clark added:
“We’re not getting rid of any of them apart from I think three that are coming out and nine 777s that were scheduled to come out this year.”
The news comes following speculation earlier in the week that the carrier was preparing plans to decommission up-to 40% of its 115-strong A380 fleet after Sir. Tim previously made a statement that “the A380 is over” for the airliner, further adding on to a statement from Emirates’ chairman and chief executive, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum; Sheikh Maktoum warned that the Coronavirus pandemic would have a “huge impact” on Emirate’s financial performance for the year ahead, adding that it would “take aggressive cost management measures, and other necessary steps to safeguard [the] business.”
Reports by Bloomberg added that Emirates plans to take three additional examples by the end of this fiscal year, though the carrier had cancelled five additional aircraft orders. The carrier added that it “remains in regular dialog with Airbus” regarding ‘fleet-requirements’ but declined to comment further: Airbus also declined to comment saying “talks with customers are confidential.”
Clark’s words bring joy for many Airbus lovers worldwide, glad to see the type remain in service with Emirates for a good few years more! What are your thoughts? Get in touch in the comments below.
When start international flight, we are Waiting want to go back our return ticket please try to June first or mid please
I’m sorry Pushpaben, we are not a travel agency nor in anyway connected to the airline. We suggest you contact your agent or the airline direct.
This is good news for aviation industry and 380 fans
What Sir Tim is saying (read between the lines) is that financing is not available to Emirates for the purchase of lower operating cost aircraft, so he will park most of the A380 and bring them back on line as demand recovers, whether they can fill the A380 or not.
Point being – Emirates Airlines owns the A380 aircraft in the fleet so it’s capital cheaper to operate the big plane even with low loads than it is to buy new, smaller aircraft that will be operationally more efficient, but will require capital to finance. There is no resale market for the Emirates A380 aircraft, so the company has no choice but to fly them or send them for scrap. SQ is parking it’s at Alice Springs in Australia, and the early A380s it had have been retired and scrapped.
The A380 business plan didn’t work. Emirates did an amazing job of keeping them filled during the boom time, but the airline has 8 A380 left on order for which it is unlikely to accept delivery. Airbus has other white tails parked but with no customers.
A very useful and thought-provoking comment, for which many thanks. One thought; if/when the 380 returns, and it’s operated below the break even point, would that not mean that Emirates would lose money on that flight? I imagine so, but perhaps it’s accepted that the loss-maker would be subsidised from elsewhere?
that is not true. Erimate lease approx 60%+ of its A380 fleet but i would imagine the T&C’s for early return would be expensive.