Have virgin cancelled A380 order?

[Hotel Mode]

Heard that the 380 hanger contract at LHR has been cancelled from someone involved, is this a prelude to cancelling the order or will they be maintained elsewhere?

[Airline Tycoon]

I believe the A380 orders still stand.
With regards to the hanger, it might be something to do with the need to obtain the land next to the current VS hanger at LHR so as to extend the width of it. I heard on the rumour mill they were struggling to do so.

[akerosid]

In any case, isn't RB one of the people pushing Airbus to produce a longer version of the A380, the -900 - along with EK.

The only reason I can think of that VS would want to cancel the 380 order would be if the US routes (presumably the key routes for the acft) came under serious pressure as a result of Open Skies.

Isn't the VS hangar the one beside the BD one (which seems never to have BD acft in it!) ... sorry not a regular in LHR - can't remember where it is!

[Airbus Student]

I can assure you that the '380 order still stands and there are currently no plans to change this.

I haven't heard anything about this new hangar at LHR though, I was lead to believe that the maintenance was to be done at Gatwick.

[Airline Tycoon]

It's not a new hanger it's an extension to the exsisting!

[UTRF]

I heard they are taking over the very large old FLS hangar at LGW. Anyone else heard of this?

[Airbus Student]

That would make sense to me, considering Virgin's maintenance is based at LGW.

[virginpaul]

That would make sense to me, considering Virgin's maintenance is based at LGW.

What makes you say that?

Only Maintenance currently carried out at LGW is Line Maintenance, Layover Aircraft Maintenance clean up, and odd numbered A checks.
Main, heavy maintenance base is LHR at the Hangar.

However, who knows what is around the corner in this Business!

[Airbus Student]

Sorry it is only what I have heard in work, I was under the impression that they are planning to carry out more maintenance tasks at LGW in the future. They also seem to be taking on a lot of apprentices + employees recently, where as LHR are not.

[virginpaul]

Sorry it is only what I have heard in work, I was under the impression that they are planning to carry out more maintenance tasks at LGW in the future. They also seem to be taking on a lot of apprentices + employees recently, where as LHR are not.

Apprentices taken on (initially) are employed by Virgin Atlantic Engineering as a whole, not by LGW or LHR. The last lot of 4th Year Apprentices who passed out in Sept. were almost all taken on in the Hangar at LHR (Planned Maintenance Crew). Also, I can assure you that Line Engineering at LGW have not taken on anyone recently, and there are no local vacencies.

This very last statement is, however, a perishable one, and is only accurate at the time of going to press;)

Regards Maintenance at LGW - who knows what could transpire (well, someone does, but it's not me)

[apaddyinuk]

Does anyone know if Virgin intend on having some A380's based in LGW??? Perhaps an horiffically jam packed one for the MCO???

[scroggs]

The 6 A380s currently on order (with 6 options) are all to be configured with a 524-seat fit for the JFK/LAX/SFO routes, with a possibility of operating to HKG/SYD if the options are taken up. 6 aeroplanes doesn't give a lot of flexibility!

There are no current plans to buy or configure any A380s for bucket-and-spade routes. I suspect MCO is probably thankful for that! In any case, should we need to, the B744s can be configured for somewhere around 600 all-economy pax as per the JAL/ANA internal shuttle routes - and there've been no moves in that direction (though we did used to pack over 500 in G-VMIA, the old B747-100!).

[Denzil]

The JAL/ANA B744's are configured purely for domestic sectors.

Reference the A380, VS delayed delivery but is now taking a delivery slot from SQ, the 2nd aircraft is some 18 mths later!!!!

[NWT]

Latest rumours this weekend is the 380 not in favour any more, mainly because the US airports are not really showing the commitment to the handling of the big beast that VS would like, also good offers from Mr Boeing on the 777 surfacing,
(as well as the increasing poor performance of the -600, in more ways than one - which I will not comment on here-those in the industry will know...)

[Dan Winterland]

Those Japanese 744s are designated 747-400Ds and are not your regular 744. They don't have galleys for a start. They also don't have winglets, centre or tail tank plumbing, have fewer toilets and a reduced MTOW. They spend their lives shutting between Japanese cities on very short sectors.

[scroggs]

I know the comparison was flawed, Dan, but I'm sure you get my point - Virgin could get a lot more people in the 744s if it wanted to!

As for the B777 rumour, I don't read it as being a case of either the B777 or the A380 - that's sounds too similar to the misleading argument that went on between Airbus and Boeing at the time the B787 and A380 were being presented to the media; in reality, they were never in competition. The B744s will need too be replaced in the not too distant future, and the Caribbean destinations are never going to be A380 compliant. So what to replace them with? The B777-300 seems the most likely candidate.

[Denzil]

B777's for VS, what happened to "four engines for long haul"!!!! Seriously VS would be better of with the B777-300ER that the A340-600!!!

[akerosid]

Don't forget the 747-8! Boeing might be able to make them a good deal on a combination of the two.

Mind you, having been one of the two airlines (along with EK) pushing for a stretched A380, a change from the Airbus might be a bit embarrassing?

Their main concern right now is probably the effect of Open Skies on the LHR market, so I would assume they'd wait until they see how that pans out before they make further decisions. Also, with bmi going nowhere fast, opportunities may arise there which would require them to reassess their fleet needs.