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China Southern Airlines' A380 Super Jumbo came to an end, coming to an end in less than twelve years. In the early hours of November 8, B-6139 A380 returned to Guangzhou from Los Angeles, marking the end of China Southern's A380 flight and the end of China's A380 era.
However, why is this airliner so spacious and comfortable not popular in the market? While passengers enjoy the A380 experience, it can be a negative asset for airlines. The sheer size comes with high operating costs, and the four-engine design also leads to high fuel consumption, which makes the A380 unusually demanding for high occupancy and high fares.
The realities of China's domestic market make it difficult for China Southern to make full use of the A380 to expand international routes. Domestic routes account for the main share of revenue, so for some time, China Southern Airlines tried to use the A380 for domestic routes. However, even on domestic routes, the ticket price of the A380 is prohibitively high, which is not practical for people who need to travel and seek reimbursement.
The international situation is also not optimistic, although some international airlines relaunched A380 flights, but Airbus stopped production of the A380 early. The production volume of this jumbo airliner, which has been well received by passengers, is far lower than Boeing's 737 and A320 series.
As for the "aircraft graveyard" where the A380 is sent to the United States after decommissioning, this is actually a common fate for leased aircraft. The airline does not own the aircraft, so when the lease expires or when the lease is no longer needed, the aircraft must be returned to the lessor. The lessee has the right to decide what to do with these aircraft at its discretion, just as it is impossible to claim a car after renting it.
Therefore, the end of the A380 is the result of market demand and economic considerations, and while it has impressed passengers, it may no longer be feasible for airlines to continue operating the A380.
However, there has been widespread discussion about where these A380s end up going. Why did the Chinese A380 end up being sent to the "aircraft graveyard" in the United States and dismantled?
This question relates to the complexity of the aviation industry and the interaction of global supply chains. China, one of the world's largest manufacturers, made many parts of the A380, but these parts were shipped to Europe for assembly, eventually forming the A380 airliner. Due to contractual and technical detail constraints, maintenance and repair work is often also done by Airbus subsidiaries or partners.
As a result, when China's A380s were retired, they became extremely expensive to repair and maintain. Because components for these aircraft are scattered around the world, it is difficult for Chinese airlines to effectively manage this vast supply chain. This situation prompted the airline to send these A380s to the "aircraft graveyard" in the United States, where more specialized equipment and technology can be used to disassemble and recycle them efficiently.
In addition, the dismantling and recycling of aircraft also brings some economic opportunities. Parts from discarded aircraft can be recycled, which helps reduce the overall environmental impact and mitigates losses to some extent. America's "aircraft graveyard" is known for its highly specialized dismantling work, which is one of the reasons why China chose to send the A380 there.
While the retirement of the A380 represents the end of an era, it also reflects the evolving aviation industry and considerations of economic realities. Comfort and grandeur may appeal to passengers' hearts, but from a business perspective, airlines must balance operating costs with profits. So while we will miss the A380, the aviation industry is constantly looking for more cost-effective solutions to meet market demand.
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