Airbus A380听aircraft听can be听seen听flying听over听various听African听countries听including听South Africa,听Egypt听and听Algeria.听But not one of the plane精东影业 carriers is, or has been,听based or registered in Africa.听精东影业听investigates听why African airlines听have never flown听the giant of the skies.听
It all depends on听the听infrastructure…听
Most of听Africa精东影业听full-service carriers (FSC)听have chosen to stick with smaller and听more agile听wide-body听aircraft听such as Boeing 787听Dreamliners, Boeing听777s听or Airbus A350s. Why has the听largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380, been left out?听
The Airbus A380 was built to serve as a large听capacity听jet听to听transport听passengers听long distances听from concentrated hubs. But it can听only be used on select routes听which听have听the听necessary听demand听and can听accommodate the aircraft.听听听
听the Airbus A380听can听operate听scheduled flights听in airports which have听the Aerodrome Reference听Code F.听These听airports听have runways听which allow for听aircraft听with听massive wingspan and outer landing gear, usually the A380, Boeing 747-8 or Antonov听An-225听Mriya.听
The听A380听aircraft听is 80 meters wide and 73 meters听long and听is听almost the听length of a football field.听Therefore,听the听sheer size听of听aircraft听like the听A380听require听sophisticated airport infrastructure,听including听a wider and longer runway for听take听off听and landing.听听
听the听A380听is able to听operate听regular听scheduled flights听in 140 airports across the world.听In addition,听the manufacturer听says听that听the carriers听are capable of operating听the A380 not only from Code F but also from Code E airports 鈥渨ith听minimal changes to infrastructure and ground handling equipment鈥.听
For instance, one of the most popular hubs for the A380, London Heathrow Airport (LHR), has听invested听拢450 million ($611 million)听to ensure it can听handle the听aircraft. Meanwhile,听New York精东影业听John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) has invested more than听$109 million听in infrastructure for the A380,听according to data presented in a report听by Peter Forsyth,听鈥樚
The well-known double-decker can accommodate more than 500 passengers in a typical three-class configuration. This听requires more time for boarding, more ground handling equipment,听and听more听staff to serve the听aircraft.听The airport听also听needs听more gate space and dual passenger boarding bridges for the upper and lower decks of the A380.听
Thus,听many airports are not equipped to cope with听such a听large听aircraft.听Only a handful of Africa精东影业 aviation hubs, namely in South Africa,听Egypt听or Mauritius,听have听such capabilities,听meaning that only a few African听FSCs听can听operate听them听from their respective hubs.听听
…and听operational听costs听
Even before the听end of听production,听the听Airbus听A380 was one of the most expensive jets ever built, valued at听$445.6 million听at听a list听price.听听
鈥淭he A380 is a high-risk plane to operate because of costs,鈥 aviation analyst Desmond Latham tells听精东影业听in an emailed statement.听
Only 16听operators have听operated听the Airbus A380听aircraft, including听carriers from Asia-Pacific, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. However, none of the听African,听North听and South American airlines听ever flew the听aircraft.听
Latham says: 鈥淭he volume of passengers in Africa was only really听viable听from South Africa and pre-2017/18 by SAA which is now a small airline that has been poorly managed by the state here in South Africa. No other African region including Ethiopia could support such a听high-volume听demand plane because of the听high risk听in dollar terms.鈥澨
Having the largest听aircraft听fleet in the continent,听Ethiopian Airlines听proved to be听one of the most successful full-service carriers in Africa.听But even for听them,听the A380 was not听viable听because it听鈥渙perates Boeings mainly so it would entail retraining and an entire new ethos in terms of ownership and operations鈥,听according to听Latham.听
鈥淭he A380 costs around $26,000听an hour听to operate and its pax capacity is 500-525 pax. Only the big global players can afford that kind of money and volume of pax,鈥 Latham explains.听鈥淭he Boeing 737-800, the most popular plane in the world, costs $2,500 per hour and carries around 170 pax just to give you an idea about what we’re talking about here.鈥澨
Has the ship听already听sailed?听
With听A380 production听already听over,听African airlines might be听too late to join the game, even if they wanted to.听
However, according to Latham, there might be a slim chance for African airlines to begin听operating听the听super听jumbos听once听their residual value is down.听鈥淏ut听don’t hold your breath.鈥澨
He adds:听鈥淎ll airlines now are focusing on the single aisle听aircraft,听which听is听much more economical to operate,听so there’s a belief that the A380 will be flown by BA听[British Airways]听and Emirates amongst others but unlikely by any African airline.鈥澨
