The Airbus A380

The new A380 airbus has long fascinated me. It should go into service soon and was flown at the Paris Air Show last week. The reviews are in and I am not sure I am interested in flying on it. The plane is really two large planes stacked on top of one another. The thing that I am looking forward to is to see how it is configured by the airlines which buy it. If they put in a bar and piano lounge and double beds and a casino, which is advertised to be in the works, I will be surprised. Here are the numbers. The Boeing 747 can fly 416 passengers and the A380 if generous with passenger comforts can fly 555 passengers. That to me is daunting if you think of getting that many folks on with all the carryon baggage and then think of the lines as you all try to go through customs upon arrival. The big problem is the company will pay $292 million for each plane and the possibility for them to go all-coach and fly 800 passengers will be tempting. That is a nightmare.