The A380 was initially conceived back in the 90s, when hub-to-hub travel looked to be gaining prominence. Able to carry up to 853 passengers if configured in all-economy, the plane offered attractive economics to airlines looking to maximise limited slots at busy airports. Roomy interiors and a novelty of engineering also made it particularly popular with passengers.
The first A380 aircraft was delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2007, and there have been 14 customers for the double decker superjumbo. Emirates is the biggest operator, having taken delivery of just under half (123) of the 251 superjumbos built.
However, as the aircraft came to market, an industry shift towards lower-capacity, direct routes, coupled with the aircraft’s expensive running costs, meant it quickly fell out of favour. In February 2019, Airbus began to wind down production of the aircraft, and Emirates took delivery of the final A380 in December 2021.
