Zeke - Just to clarify, I suggested the A380 would suit the LCC and Charter market best, I do realise that none have ordered it, my reading of the market is, I believe, pretty accurate, as current orders show.
Paying a million to charity for a one off ride hardly counts towards on going cash flow for an airline. SIA a Lcc/charter company? I don't think so, their ranking in passenger surveys and their balance sheet history prove that they are up there among the best.
Having Euros6.0bn in the bank is only one side of the accounts, what are their liabilities? Can't really see the relevance of my personal financial state to this discussion.
For the last time, I DO accept that there is a market for the A380, as orders from airlines have shown, but it is a market too small to make the A380 a commercially viable option for Airbus.
SIA have replaced many of their B744 with the B777 family and the long range A340 already, the A380 will operate in the niche market area that requires mass transit, Australia, UK, possibly some ports of call in the USA and replace a few remaining B744s, not a fleet of 52 aircraft.
Last edited by parabellum; 1st Oct 2007 at 01:34.