Originally Posted by
Volume
The other fundamental problem for the A380 are the airports. Not so much the runway/taxiway/ramp issues, but the terminal. Many airports (some claiming to be "A380 ready" in a major
PR campaign...) simply can not handle 500+ passengers at one time. Not at security, not at immigration, not at the baggage claim, not for boarding. As much as I love to
fly the A380, I hate getting on and off. AirFrance for example flew the A380 to YUL for a short period,now they do the service again with two 777/A340/747 within 90 minutes. Immigration at YUL for a full A380 passenger load was just awful. With no airbridges for the upper deck, business class was off the aircraft after economy, putting those who produce the profit at the end of the cue... Those passengers know the aircraft they fly very well, and react accordingly.
You would have a hard job flying on an Air France 747 to anywhere - they do not have any ! They retired the last one at least 2 years ago.