Vietnam Airlines Orders The A380 (Merged)

Perhaps long-haul passengers might start demanding the A380?
I’m sure Airbus will sell lots.

only 198 more orders to go until program breakeven. Woo Hoo!

I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting on any U.S. carriers ordering the A380.

That must be 202 orders now.
I suppose the next major hurdle will be to sell the A380 to some of the large US airlines, though the B777 seems to be serving their needs for now.

Air Austral now joins up

Air Austral has now signed an order for two A380’s to service their Paris- Reunion route.

Airbus predicted once the A380 got settled into service they would start picking up orders again, and whilst these two customers might not be considered the classic customer for the A380, it is certainly a step in the right direction for the program. Is this the start of an increase in orders for the program?

Great news for Airbus and especially the A380. Flew on an Emirates example last Jan…………what a craft.

Vietnam Airlines latest airline to order A380 superjumbo

Vietnam Airlines has agreed to buy six new aircraft, including four Airbus A380 superjumbos, from Airbus in a deal worth almost $1.8 billion.
Vietnam Airlines will be the first new customer for the A380 aircraft since 2006, according to a list of deals signed between France and Vietnam during a visit to Hanoi by the French Prime Minister.

In addition to the A380s, the deal includes two A350XWB-900 wide-body planes and is worth about $1.79 billion at list prices.

The agreement between the flag carrier and Airbus, the plane making unit of EADS, also includes an industrial partnership to build certain parts for Airbus and the establishment of a pilot and engineer training center in the country.

The deal is a boost for Airbus on eve of Dubai airshow at which it will scrap with U.S. rival Boeing for thinning pile of orders due to the global economic crisis.

Vietnam Airlines officials have recently expressed concern about production delays to its order of 16 of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft..

The carrier had intended to use the aircraft to serve its long haul services including direct flights to the United States.

The reason I booked my next Australia return flight with SIA is that they are the only airline to fly the A380 on the London-Singapore route (or the only airline that I was aware of).
I could have just as easily gone with BA, but all they could offer was a B777, which I’ve already flown on, or a clapped-out B747.
I’m certain sales of the A380 will pick up sharply over the next couple of years. It must be the best way to travel on inter-continental routes by some distance, given its room and quietness.

i’m going to vietnam next year from Frankfurt,shame i wont get on 1 of the big buses. Also BA ordered the A380 in Dec 2007 so this is not the newest customer since 2006.

Maybe they like what they see of it in service. There’s an article in Flight this week in which current operators grumble about various teething problems, but praise it more. It’s reported to be extremely popular with passengers (& the only friend of mine who’s been on one, with Emirates, loved it), & Emirates & Qantas say it’s exceeded its performance guarantees.