Aircraft
Middle East Carriers Could Hold Key to A380’s Future
Analysts express mixed viewpoints on the superjumbo’s prospects
Emirates Airbus A380s line up to depart Dubai International Airport. (Photo: Emirates)
Emirates Airbus A380s line up to depart Dubai International Airport. (Photo: Emirates)

The long-term survival of the Airbus A380 might hinge on airlines from the Middle East, most notably Dubai’s Emirates, whose contribution to the superjumbo’s backlog far outstrips that of the rest of the customer base. Emirates's interest in another order might well account for Airbus’s best hope to keep the assembly line going late into the next decade.