For a wee moment, it seemed as if the only Airbus A380s that would be left in the sky
were the ones sporting the Emirates livery. However, with a quicker-than-predicted bounce
back of demand following the pandemic, some airlines that said "probably not"
to parked superjumbos rejoining fleets have brought them back out of storage.
You probably already knew that it’s not possible to operate the A380 just
anywhere. One drawback of the giant plane is that it can require extensive modifications
to airports. This includes enlarged taxiways, longer runways, and modified airport gates.
But not every airport offers these accommodations, thereby limiting the
operational destinations of the aircraft. So what is required for the A380 to fly to an airport,
and how many facilities around the world can even receive it?
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Airbus A380 is
classified as a Code F aircraft due to its massive wingspan and outer main landing gear.
Thus, many airports have found themselves unable to accommodate the aircraft without building more
infrastructure. Airports need to make sure their runways are wide enough for the wheels,
that buildings near taxiways and gates can allow the large wingspan to swing past,
and that the aircraft doesn’t block other airport operations. Plus, we can't forget that
more passengers on the A380 mean more terminal space for check-in, security, and arrivals.
Surprisingly, the A380 doesn’t have a weight issue, nor does the jet create
extra-ordinary stress to runways compared to other larger widebodies. This is because
the wheels and their location on the jet spread the enormous weight over a
large enough area that the impact is less than that of smaller aircraft.
According to a study from 2005 named "Airport Infrastructure for the Airbus A380:
Cost Recovery and Pricing," modifications to allow for A380 service can be very expensive.
As reported by Stantec, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spent what could
add up to an estimated $175 million dollars (or more) on airfield infrastructure upgrades
alone in order to accommodate the A380. This was in addition to terminal upgrades
worth millions furbished by airline tenants preparing to operate the jet.
According to Airbus, the A380 can run scheduled operations to 140 airports across the world.
Many of these are hub airports in major cities such as London, New York, Sydney, or Bangkok.
Interestingly, when Portuguese charter and wet-lease carrier Hi Fly was still
operating the A380, it couldn’t even land at its own country's main airport in Lisbon.
The 140 airports listed by Airbus are rated for regular A380s operations.
Many more airports- up to 400- can technically land and unload an A380.
This is why we have seen the type fly to some unusual destinations like Alice
Springs or Grand Canaria. Much of this is possible through a special exemption by local
airport authorities to allow occasional A380 operations to a Code E facility.
If the runways and taxiways are wide enough,
the A380 can feasibly be parked at a remote stand and unloaded with a standard stair car.
While many of the modifications listed earlier are essential, they’re not crucial.
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