A380
ITR - how can you ask such broad questions?
You have to look at the markets, fleet size and a whole raft of things.
How much detail do you want?
The airplanes are not being ordered by fools - so we must assume management have done their homework.
Over similar markets (say HKGLHR) the A380 should have about 15 to 20% lower ASK costs than the 744ER. However, if you have a group
operating 50 new-ish 744's (JAL?) and 5 A380's, the 744's would be much more economical than the A380 in most respects.
Volume - as you can not spell Qantas (or other carriers) just use airline codes.
Also we have to compare apples with apples, but what do you use to check these numbers
- pax numbers, vs trip counts, vs block hours;
- is hubbing allowed, vs fragmented markets;
- what are the yields and distribution of fare levels;
- will this be full service airlines or are you to include high density, ow fare operations to compare.
Over an ideal sector - of perhaps 10 hours - a shuttle service would be so, so economical.
PB - you are closer to the mark.
Perhaps look at the Asian markets - they are the ones that are in need of an 800 seat airplane rather than the A380-100.
Wino - As indicated by 411A, both the 707 & DC8 had a greater range than the early 747's.
The A380 is really needed over the right markets.
We do need an 800 seat airplane (for a few markets). A blended winged airplane?
However we would need to redesign airports to permit their operation.