United - Continental open to Airbus A380

[keesje]

"We can't dismiss like we used to the potential of such a big aircraft," he said of the A380, which seats about 520 passengers on two decks. US airlines built up through mergers over the past several years, giving them larger route networks and hubs to make the A380 a more viable option, Mr Laderman said. United parent UAL Corp and Continental Airlines combined in 2010.

United mulls bigger Dreamliner, open to A380 (http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/transport-hub/aviation/united-mulls-bigger-dreamliner-open-a380)

Inevitable on the Pacific I guess.

http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images1/images/united-airbus-A380-800.jpg

[Carbon Bootprint]

As long as they don't take off overweight thinking one of the decks is empty when it's actually full. :O

Not sure if it could be a factor, but LH recently introduced A380 service FRA-IAH, one of UA's key European routes. But since UA currently uses a 767, replacing it with a 380 would seem extreme.

I guess anything's possible now that the merger has resulted in a mixed fleet, whereas the "old" Continental was a strictly Boeing shop. Still, could be a bargaining ploy for the 747-8 if they're really looking for a plane that big.

[keesje]

United used to state A350s would replace the 744 fleet when they ordered the A350-900s and some folks took that serious. I always wondered how that would have worked out on the many once a day Pacific flights.. slashing capasity in the booming Asian markets.. amazing.

[hetfield]

I bet, this will not happen.

Okay, let's say not before presidential elections....

[ATC Watcher]

AIRBUS said in Farnborough that they expected towards the end of the year a "special order involving A380s that will surprise everyone"
Maybe that was this rumour...

[golfyankeesierra]

Must say, the 380 looks well in the UAL livery.. (can't say that often)