10 years in the A380 had been shown to fill a specific role in the market.
As Airbus acknowledged, A380 fills a small niche in the market. And with the advent of the A350 and 777X, that niche appears to be shrinking.
As the article (on the 10th anniversary) says, the best years are likely still ahead, as markets increase and airport slots are harder to get. Places like Heathrow will need A380 to transport the masses as extra runways are an even harder option.
Limited slot availability has been shown to be a false argument. A380 is so big and heavy that it REDUCES the number of available slots at an airport because of the spacing it requires on landing and takeoff. You can land
two A350s and 777s in the time space required of an A380. Further, the double decks make A380 turn around times terrible. You can unload and then reload
two A350s and 777s in the time it takes to turn around an A380. And the A380 also increases congestion INside most airports.
Smaller craft will be in the numbers game but I think the A380 will plod ahead filling a need.
It's real hard to make a profit selling a plane built at a slow, plodding pace. The competition will eat you up. And at the slow build rate, it is very difficult to justify upgrades. The A380 has not even reached the break even point, and yet both Airbus and the major airlines have identified the need to re-engine it. A major upgrade like that is impossible to finance at the low build rate.