Lufthansa A380s

[Mr A Tis]

Does anyone know the date(s) when the LH A380s will enter revenue service? and to which services/routes they will go to first?.The LH web site is still a bit vague & shows no bookable services on the A380.

[PAXboy]

You may get a quicker answer in the forum Airlines, Airports & Routes - PPRuNe Forums

[sprocky_ger]

No announcements were made so far on which routes it will serve first. The only thing known is that there are customers already booked a flight but do not even know it. LH just said the a/c will be placed on routes to Asia and Americas. There are some speculations on BOS or JFK as well as Shanghai or Beijing. If I had to decide I'd go to JFK first since they know how to handle that brand new type. Makes it easier to get used to regular ops.

[Mr A Tis]

One of the LH proving flights was to HKG & I hope to go there in October.
I have an option of part route via EK A380, however, if LH were to put the A380 on FRA-HKG in Oct, then I definitely would go with that.

[Mr A Tis]

Lufthansa announces today that Tokyo (June) will be the first LH A380 destination, followed by Beijing (August) and then Jo'burg (October).

[OliverGigacz]

Lufthansa's eighth A380 (MSN070) has made it's photo debut, Seen here late last week in the first stage of Final Assembly.

A380 Production Update: July 2010 (#2) Airbus A380 Production

[atakacs]

Interesting that they have enough traffic to Johannesburg to justify the A380... I would have expected north or south America before South Africa..

[Skipness One Echo]

Bearing in mind Lufthansa have one aircraft in service and number 8 in final assembly, where are the intervening six? I guess more than a few B744s will be parked before the year end if Lufty have seven A380s coming in the next quarter.


Oliver REALLY likes the A380. I mean really likes the A380

[PAXboy]

atakacs

Interesting that they have enough traffic to Johannesburg to justify the A380... I would have expected north or south America before South Africa.

The JNB + CPT route has the most staggering amount of traffic on it. If you ever see the number of 744s + 340s that arrive each morning for business and leausire - you would not be surprised.

The last time I counted the LHR~JNB route had SAA @ 340x9 per week; BA @ 744 x9 per week and VS at 340 x7. That is just one city pair. The route is, pun intended, a gold mine!

[TopBunk]

The last time I counted the LHR~JNB route had SAA @ 340x9 per week; BA @ 744 x9 per week and VS at 340 x7.

S'funny, but when did BA reduce from 18 or 19 B744's per week?

[Evanelpus]

The second LH A380 was spotted over Germany at FL410 at the weekend on a test flight.

[PAXboy]

I have no idea how many JNBs BA currently do (hence my words!) they ALSO run to CPT every night. AFAIK, the run to JNB a standard x7 with two days of an extra (x9) and they sometimes run a daylight on one day a week (x10) but I did not bother to count.

The example shows that, if JNB can support at least 25 rotations a week from LHR - there is enormous demand. A friend currently looking to go out in September has been checking the dog-leg routes of LH, KLM, Emirates and the rest. LH do a competitive all-in including the feeder from the UK.

I have used several of the dog-leg routings myself over the years. The demand is astounding and the reasons are fairly obvious.

[sprocky_ger]

The second one is @XFW already. Saw her last Thursday.

As for the remaining aircraft: They are at various stages Note that LH won't get all of them this year. IIRC they'll have a today of four A380's at year and with another four to be delivered in 2011.