My first A380 ride

[Jet2LeedsTom]

Hi all

I am about to go on my first A380 ride. Manchester to Dubai. I've done lots of wide bodies before, 747s, the poxy (imo) 777, etc but never the A380.

I'm in economy and just wondered what "real" difference I can expect from my Emirates experience? I've never really noticed any proper difference from one economy to another, save a newer looking cabin.

What's the difference between a BA 747 in economy over Emirates A380 in economy?

Thanks!

[Lancelot37]

Friend did that route with Emirates. He knows nothing about aircraft. I asked him. His answer "I didn't notice any difference to the usual flight on that route the last year."

[Globaliser]

Originally Posted by Jet2LeedsTom

What's the difference between a BA 747 in economy over Emirates A380 in economy?

As far as the aircraft itself is concerned, the main noticeable thing is that the A380 is much quieter.

[Lancelot37]

But does that depend upon where you are sitting?

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by Globaliser

As far as the aircraft itself is concerned, the main noticeable thing is that the A380 is much quieter.

True in general of Airbus widebodies compared to their nearest Boeing equivalent (B777 to A340 in particular).

Not an A vs B snip at all, but how do they actually do it ? Engines further out, or angled more outboard ? More soundproofing ?

[Mark in CA]

I will be taking my first A380 flight in July, FRA -> SFO on LH. The main difference I see is that I will be sitting in the very forward cabin on the upper deck, albeit still in economy (the entire upper deck is economy). I expect this to be a fairly quiet position. Besides the new seats and amenities, I'm not expecting much difference from the usual 747 flights.

[Espada III]

I remember listening to recordings of the cabin annoucements when the Qantas A380 engine blew. The captain could be heard very clearly, totally unlike other in-flight recordings. This must be because the plane is so much quieter inside.

Pity I have not had the chance to sample the plane myself.

[Avionker]

I remember listening to recordings of the cabin annoucements when the Qantas A380 engine blew. The captain could be heard very clearly, totally unlike other in-flight recordings. This must be because the plane is so much quieter inside.

Well, it will be quieter with one of the "noisemakers" switched off I expect.....

[flying_a_nix_box]

the A380 is so quiet that it's spooky. I've been on it twice, both Singapore (SIN -> LHR) and Qantas (The Nancy Bird Walton that blew the engine infact!! LAX -> MEL)

On takeoffs you know that your getting faster, if you can see out the window. But it's so quiet that you wonder if it will make enough noise to get off the ground! Next thing you know your in the air and the engines are barely making any more noise than when the plane was taxiing around the airport.

On my SIN -> LHR A380 flight when we were coming in for landing and they cut the engines back I couldn't hear them at all. All that I could hear was the wind going past the fuselage, very very spooky and I was sitting over the wing on the main deck.

[Skipness One Echo]

Flew AF LHR-CDG-LHR last year and impressive as it is, it's underwhelming. The wing is ENORMOUS so I couldn't see out of the window which due to the double deck is quite far away from the seat so I couldn't rest me head against it. The take off is really quiet and not at all impressive alas.

Nice piece of kit for Joe Public though but for an enthusiast, I'm glad I did it but it's not something I'd be in a hurry to repeat.

Also, it is most FUGLY which doesn't help.

[primreamer]

I travelled with Emirates on the A380 from DXB to SYD last year and I was impressed with the aircraft. As others have said the big difference, compared to other widebodies, is the lack of cabin noise. On application of take-off power there was a perceptible, but distant, increase in engine noise but nothing close to the levels of other aircraft I've travelled in. I was sitting on the lower deck forward cabin and while stretching my legs a few times it was evident that the low sound levels extended right through the cabin, even around the doors. I had a window seat and one difference I noticed was that the distance between the scratch panel and window was quite large and wondered at the time whether the corresponding distance between sidewall assembly and fuselage had been filled with extra, or some fancy new style, soundproofing.

[crippen]

Travelled on A380 six times now(Man-Dub-Bkk). Impressed with the quietness, and the smoothness of the acceleration and braking! Presumably 'Computer controlled'. Or clever Pilots.

[the_fish@blueyonder.]

I travelled on the A380 earlier this year JNB-CDG with Air France. The main difference is the noise, definitely compared to the 777 KLM flew me down there on. I was surprised at how quiet it was. I was behind the engines on the upper deck and I could barely hear them. Someone else did mention the gap between the window and the little bit you see through from the seats. I also found it a little awkward to see directly downward, unlike single decker planes, however it's not a disadvantage as such, just takes getting used to it you're more accustomed to other planes. I did like the little cupboard type pocket that AF had next to the upper deck seats (in addition to the seat back pocket), not sure if it is standard for the A380, but it saved getting up to use the overhead bins.

The actual flight and ground manoeuvring were so smooth I didn't notice we had started to taxi at JNB until the safety came on, by that time we had been pushed back and were on our way to the runway, but I felt nothing!

Have a good trip!

[Evanelpus]

Nice piece of kit for Joe Public though but for an enthusiast, I'm glad I did it but it's not something I'd be in a hurry to repeat

Sadly Skipness, airliners are designed for revenue passenger flights and not for the occasional enthusiast flight.

I know a few who have flown the big bird, yes it's uber ugly, but the comfort levels are excellent as is it's quietness. I'm sure if you blindfolded people before boarding, they generally wouldn't be able to tell the difference because most of the seats and decor in a fleet are relatively standard.

[Flapping_Madly]

Missing seat A380

Why is a seat missing from row 47 (Singapore) and row 34 (AirFrance)

Is there a manhole cover there for a sewer?

Or is it the rowdy passenger ejection vent?

[Fargoo]

I believe its the crew rest emergency exit.

[pax britanica]

I have had a couple of 380 trips -Emirates, both times comnnecting to a 777-300 so could make some immediate comparisons

Noise or lack of it is very noticeable but so is the cabin conditioning- no stuffy nose ehadache at end of trip -not quite freshas a daisy but much much betetr than on all other long hauls I have done.

I should confessI am not a triple 7 fan i find them noisy, have poor cabin conditioning, not enough fresh air I assume. To me theyalso have a horrible wallowing ride and a step backwards from the mighty 744 DC10 and best of al the Trsitar.

So until maybe the 787 appears the 380 for me is in a league of its own comfort wise.

[ConstantFlyer]

I flew the A380 last year, and was impressed not just by the quietness, but its sheer size. However, I was reminded this week what flying was really like when I flew on a Jetstream 31 in the front middle passenger seat, where one's knees protrude into the cockpit. The view through the cockpit windows of the runway ahead when coming into land beat even the tail-mounted camera views on the seat-back screens on the A380.

[L'aviateur]

Quiet

I flew with Qantas on the A380 recently and also agree that it's much quieter and better cabin atmosphere. Could very easily sleep without having Noise Cancelling Earphones in, and take off/landing wouldn't wake you up.

[anotherglassofwine]

I've flown on it a few times now with Singapore, London to Sin.
As others posters have mentioned, it is eerily quiet and takeoff is a little underwhelming.
Sitting on the upper deck can seem a little crammed, with the curvature of the fueslage, but in cattle class, you do get a bit more room at the window seat (extra hand luggage space with Singapore at the side of the seat).
If you like gazing out the window, don't sit anywhere near the wing - it huge and you won't see a thing.
The other thing I have noticed is that the overhead bins are massive.

Overall anytime I head to the southern hemisphere I try to book on an A380 - main reason is I always seem to be a bit more refreshed when I land - possibly something to do with better air quality (or great Singapore service!)
Always interesting to see the number of passengers taking pictures of the beast before they board!

Enjoy the flight!