It might seem only a year or two since Airbus launched the A380 and just months since the mighty, double-deck behemoth entered service, but the European manufacturer has delivered more than 130 since operations began, almost six years ago, in October 2007. The aircraft, which typically accommodate about 500 passengers (depending upon customers’ cabin configurations), have an average daily use of more than 13 hours, says Airbus. Of the 324 examples that had been ordered by late June, the backlog of 192 includes 20 booked this year.
Scheduled to appear at this week’s Farnborough Airshow is the first A380 for Qatar Airways–a rare airline exhibitor that is unashamedly conspicuous (Chalet C28). In fact, with it planned to have Airbus show at least three aircraft wearing its distinctive grey-and-maroon livery (the A380, an A350-900–the fourth flight-test aircraft–and an A320, and for Boeing to present a fourth, a 787-8) here at the show. Like some early operators, the Gulf-based airline has seen completion of its initial A380 delayed by problems with buyer-furnished cabin equipment. For instance, much of the customized 517-seat, first-, business- and economy-class interior was configured by Qatar Airways’ in-house designers.
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