Page 16 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2014 Online Magazine

FEATURE AIRBUS

The emphasis
at Airbus right now
is very much on
optimising the cabin
configuration as the
aircraft are viewed
as the flagship
aircraft for airlines
that are flying it. The
A380 lends itself
extremely well to a
four class layout

– Alan Pardoe,
Head of Marketing,
Communications, Airbus

When compared to the 747-8 the culmination of five years of research, bathroom interiors. As part of its First
passenger variant however, an A380 design and implementation, but the hard Class offering its A380 seat offers a 90-
configured to carry more than 500 work has paid off.” inch seat pitch, transforming into a fully
passengers, shows a difference in the The First Apartment and First Suite flat bed and individual 26-inch television
cash cost of 20 percent in favour of the (available only on Etihad’s Boeing screens. The airline is due to receive its
big Airbus The airline has a total of 140 787’s) are produced by US based B/E first A380 shortly and has a total of 13
A380’s on order and taken delivery of Aerospace and the entire upper deck of aircraft on order.
47 aircraft, receiving its 46th and 47th Etihad’s A380’s have been reserved for Russian airline Transaero has
aircraft in March, this year. the stunning premium cabins. nine First chosen to configure its A380’s in a
The newest developments now Apartments are located in the upper three class layout accommodating 652
attracting attention are the aircraft deck of Etihad’s A380s, each having a passengers and recently completed the
cabins that are taking the already opulent total area of 39 square feet!! Each First interior design of its Airbus A380s, the
cabins on the A380 to an even higher Apartment includes a 30.3 inch reclining first of which will join the airline’s fleet in
plane. Etihad Airways, the national lounge chair and separate full length 2015. Economy class will have 616 seats
airline of the United Arab Emirates, has ottoman that opens into an 80.5 inch on both the lower and upper decks with
just unveiled “The Residence by Etihad”. long, 26 inch wide fully flat bed. First a seat pitch of 31-32 inches and being
Touted as the world’s most luxurious Apartment guests also have an exclusive configured in 3-4-3 rows on the lower
living space in the air, it is available shower room. deck and in 2-4-2 rows on the upper
only on Etihad’s A380’s. According to Qatar Airways, has also provided deck.
Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial a glimpse of its customised A380-800
Officer, Etihad Airways “The launch is First and Business Class lounge and

PRODUCTION FORECAST

User Variant
Through 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total

Airbus Industrie 122 26 26 26 26 24 20 18 16 16 14 334
All users (A380*)

(Source: Teal Group Corporation World Military & Civil Aircraft Briefing 2014)

16 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM