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SPECIAL REPORT PARIS AIRSHOW

forward stairs that would provide for 20 more with Asian Aviation last year Sir Tim Clark,
passengers in business, premium economy Emirates President, said that “the A380
and economy class. The stairs would be is streets ahead of anything else when it
relocated from door one to door two and the comes to capacity and is the only solution to
entrance to the staircase would be combined congestion at airports like Heathrow.” “And
with that of the lower-deck crew rest. A we are getting congestion now at airports
combined crew rest compartment would like New York’s John F Kennedy, at Frankfurt,
provide space for three more premium Hong Kong, Boston and many others. When
economy passengers by moving the existing we first went to JFK we could have any slot
pilot crew rest, located behind the cockpit we wanted – now there is hardly any.” Airbus
in the mezzanine area of door one, with the figures support Clark’s concerns that 39 of
facility on the lower deck. An aft galley stair the current 47 mega cities are now congested.
module which would see the current spiral And the issue at mega cities is only going to
stairs changed to a square design provides grow as the number of mega cities increases
space for 14 more passengers plus two from the current 47 with more than 10,000
additional food trolleys. An option to remove long haul passengers a day to a projected 91
sidewall stowage would increase the wall-to- mega cities by 2034 as traffic doubles over
wall cabin width at foot-rest height and make the next 20 years. But Clark conceded that
space for 10 more business class seats in a there is “a reluctance at some airlines to
herringbone layout. commit in the current economic conditions.”
More contentious options include nine- “We have many uncertainties economically
abreast premium economy on the main and politically and equipment decisions in
deck, allowing for 11 more passengers, and airline board rooms are being put on hold.
the previous released 11-abreast economy There is even a slowing for big twins [like
layout on the main deck, which adds 23 seats. the 777, 787 and A350].” Clark wants Airbus
to build the A380neo and says on long haul
What Next for A380? missions, of say 17 hours, it would eliminate
However, the A380’s biggest customer, the current 30 to 40 seat penalties and
Emirates, has already rejected the 11-across enabling the airline to also carry several
concept. And Emirates is still waving the tons of freight. However, the airline has just
A380 flag saying that the industry needs deferred 6 A380s from 2017 to 2018 delivery.
more of the super jumbo as a serious airport The A380 order book is looking challenged.
runway capacity shortfall looms. Speaking At April 30, Airbus lists 107 orders outstanding

Above: Boeing’s 777X has
received 326 orders and the 777X-
9 will carry 60 more passengers
than the 777-300ER and carry
them 230nm further to 7600nm
rigHt: Airbus claims that the
A350-1000 will be 25 percent
more fuel efficient than Boeing’s
777-300ER. The A350-1000 has
received 211 orders
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