Airbus has introduced a suite of new cabin enablers for the A380 superjumbo that create room for up to 80 additional seats while aiming to preserve passenger comfort and improve airline economics.
The package includes a redesigned forward staircase that frees space for about 20 extra passengers. Other elements—some already available to airlines—include an 11-across, 3-5-3 economy layout on the main deck, which adds roughly 23 economy seats; a nine-across premium-economy arrangement on the main deck that adds about 11 seats; a redesigned rear staircase and aft galley that create space for around 14 additional passengers; and the removal of upper-deck sidewall stowage to increase business-class capacity by approximately 10 seats.
“Continuous improvement of our products is our daily work. This new package for our A380 customers is a smart way to meet airlines’ needs while improving the A380 economics with additional revenues and innovating in passenger comfort,” said Kiran Rao, executive vice president of strategy and marketing, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. He noted that the A380’s scale and development potential make it well suited to help airlines manage congestion at major airports while offering strong passenger comfort. The aircraft can also serve rapidly growing markets and regional airports, and these updates are designed to align the A380 with evolving market needs.
Airbus says the innovative seating concept enables airlines to offer an 18-inch seat width in economy even in a 3-5-3 layout, balancing higher capacity with acceptable comfort levels.
Despite these enhancements, Airbus has faced challenges in attracting new customers for the A380; 13 commercial carriers currently operate the type. Japan’s ANA is scheduled to take delivery of its first A380 in 2019.