Bograt,
Wise observation.
Kaptan Balus,
They are not common type ratings (like the A330 and A340), however mixed fleet flying an cross crew qualification is possible. Cathay has the flexibility to use approximately 1000 pilots that could then be extended onto another type(s) without loss of productivity on their current type. Also improves rostering with a mixture of long haul and regional flights.
prairiedriver,
I take it you also think that the new 747 should no longer be considered as QF6 (747) had to return to SIN today on 3 engines ?
cxorcist,
Comparing the A380 to the 744 as that is what it would replace on similar routes.
A "green" A380 has a manufacturers empty weight of around 235t, i.e. close to the fly away empty weight it would have leaving TLS before going to XFW for a passenger interior. The operating empty weight of the aircraft depends on how an airline decides to fit the aircraft out.
A380 fuel burns are very similar to the 744, so are the thrust levels. Takeoff and landing performance on the A380 is significantly better, Air France and Lufthansa are already taking advantage of that out of JNB.
Like it or not the 747-8 is the end of the line for the 747 model, it is an inefficient upgrade to the 744. It is not an attractive passenger aircraft at all from an economics point of view, the revamped 777-300ER that people keep asking for will do just about everything it will do.
The 747-8I has less range than the A380. The A380 is already exceeding fuel burn guarantees by a few percent, with more in the pipeline, the same cannot be said for the 747-8F which is at risk of missing them at the moment.
I am not sure why you are going on about "mandatory fuel". Fuel planning for the A380 is very similar to the 744 including alternate and reserve fuel. The A380 is also fully compliant with the new extended operations rules that will also include quads. A380s have comfortably been doing sectors as long as JFK-HKG (in air miles) with Emirates and Qantas for the past 3 years.
You can add Singapore Airlines to the transpacific list, SQ001 (HKG-SFO) is going to be upgraded to an A380 when they have more delivered. Korean will be using theirs across to LAX. Cathay will soon be competing with A380 services not only regionally, also to the Australia, Middle East, North America, and Europe with the current equipment/seats.
During the recent GFC Singapore Airlines reduced their frequency on the SIN-CDG route, they substituted 7 A380 flights for the 10 777-300ER flights. The A380s added 19% more seat capacity using 9% less total fuel (reduction of around 200 t of fuel per week, or close to 30% on a per seat basis). Load factors on average on the A380 services remained high, even in premium classes.
I do not think Cathay would have 500+ seats in the A380, nor do I think they would put 400+ seats in a 747-8I. In a 4 class configuration I would think the 747-8I would have less capacity than todays 744 has with Cathay.
As Bograt said, it does not matter what we think, the people crunching the numbers most probably would not know the difference between a 777 and a 747.