Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by Reason077 2689 days ago
That's certainly a factor, but there's more to it.

- A380 is heavier, per seat, than newer aircraft designs which are making use of advanced composites, new technologies that reduce the weight of wiring, etc.

- A380's engines are older models which are less efficient than the latest-generation engines fitted to the 777X and A350

- Aircraft with 4 engines have higher operating costs than 2. Additional fuel burn, maintenance expenses, etc.

Obviously some of this could be improved if Airbus were to have developed an upgraded version of the A380 (and Rolls-Royce it's engines). There was talk of both a new-engine A380neo and a stretched A380-900 at one point. But clearly, the market was judged to be too small to justify the substantial development costs.