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Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
The complex life cycle of a jumbo jet – and why you might be better off in an older model
At 19, the world's oldest commercial A380 is hardly ancient but – in aircraft years – it's reached an age at which most jumbo jets (the affectionate nickname for all wide, long bodied aircraft) retire to the great boneyards of the desert. Not this one though: after a five-year hiatus, it's back ploughing the skies for Emirates, according to The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says that most planes have a life cycle of around 25-30 years, but that includes a long period of research and development before their first commercial flights take off. If you find yourself on a comparatively ancient jumbo, don't worry: aircraft are subjected to frequent tests to ensure safety and usually retire because they become less commercially competitive rather than dangerous. The birth of a jumbo A jumbo's journey involves a long period of incubation and subsequent nurturing before it can go out into the world. 'The journey from the design board to commercial service for a commercial aircraft is one of the most complex undertakings in modern industrial engineering,' says Linus Benjamin Bauer, founder and managing direction of the aviation consultancy BAA & Partners. 'Typically, the aircraft development programme takes up to 15 years to bring a new aircraft such as the A380 to market.' The original jumbo, Boeing's 747, was conceived in 1966 and began to fly commercially four years later thanks to tight deadlines imposed by its first purchaser, Pan Am. But, before paying passengers can get onboard, planes face 'initial conceptual studies, customer consultations, digital modelling, prototype development and regulatory certification,' according to Bauer. 'Certification itself is particularly rigorous,' he says. 'Manufacturers must demonstrate compliance with thousands of airworthiness requirements. Each new aircraft must pass a full-scale evacuation test – where all passengers must exit within 90 seconds using only half the available exits. Structural integrity is validated through static testing, where airframes are pushed 50 per cent beyond their design limits, and fatigue testing, which simulates decades of flight cycles.' These tests can make or break a plane's popularity: when they uncovered issues with weight in some of Boeing's earliest 787 aircraft (nicknamed the 'Terrible Teens'), the planes were rejected by airlines including All Nippon Airways and Royal Air Maroc, according to the website (though they now take to the skies with Air Ethiopia and Air Austral). The A380 also had a complicated conception. 'While technologically advanced, it was delayed by nearly two years due to a major production issue,' says Bauer. 'The wiring systems designed in Germany were incompatible with the French-built fuselage sections because they used different 3D modelling software versions. This misalignment triggered an expensive and [potentially] reputationally damaging cascade of redesigns.' Active service Running costs affect the lifespan of an aircraft, as well as advancing technology and trends. The A380 is a hulk of a plane and its days have long been numbered, thanks to expenses linked to its size. In 2021, Emirates, the biggest fan of the aircraft with 121 in its fleet, took delivery of the last one ever made. It meant that the A380 had a much shorter run than the 747, which only went out of production in 2022, after more than five decades. Born out of a desire to fit more passengers into the cabin and raise per-seat profits, the 747 has been a huge success, with no competitors to match it in terms of seat capacity until the A380 came along 37 years later. Both aircraft continue to fly, with Forbes claiming there are 400 747s still in service (almost double the amount of A380s ever made). Keeping older planes going requires meticulous maintenance and careful piloting. New tech is retro-fitted and they often have makeovers to bring their cabins or liveries up to date too: in May 2025, Korean Air unveiled a 747-8i sporting its smart new blue look and logo. 'Over the course of a jet's life, it will undergo extensive maintenance and repair, but these do not imply degradation in safety,' says Bauer. 'On the contrary, aircraft become more stringently monitored as they age. Airlines conduct daily line checks, periodic A- and B-checks, and deep-dive C- and D-checks where the aircraft is virtually dismantled, inspected, and rebuilt every six to ten years. Engines are overhauled or replaced, flight control systems updated, and any structural fatigue is carefully monitored using non-destructive testing techniques. Safety margins remain extremely high, and ageing aircraft are continuously evaluated under regulatory oversight from authorities such as the Federal Aviation Authority and EASA.' But the shadow of retirement always lingers, because aircraft manufacturers are endlessly innovating to make their products lighter and more sustainable. It's been impossible to fly from the UK in a 747 since 2020, when both BA and Virgin Atlantic retired theirs (hop to Frankfurt, however, and you can board a Lufthansa 747-8 to one of 12 destinations, including Tokyo Haneda, Buenos Aires and Newark). President Trump also travels on the two, heavily customised 747s in the Air Force One fleet, and was recently gifted another one by the Qatari government. It will, however, require a bit of retrofitting if it is to serve in the fleet. 'The President and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board,' the White House website reveals. For normal passengers, A380s remain attractive: roomy, with a smooth ride, they're renowned for being comfortable on long-haul journeys while their First Class and Business cabins have space for plenty of onboard luxuries. There are even proper showers on some Emirates' A380s – which goes some way to explain the reluctance to decommission them by some airlines, despite 787s and A350s being more economical. Reaching retirement In 2024, IATA revealed that the average age of a commercial aircraft was 14 years and 10 months, and the EASA states that almost a third of all of Europe's planes are due to be retired in the next decade. The lucky ones will live out their days in aerospace museums such as Paris's Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris Le Bourget. Others are dismantled so that approved working parts can be reused, and some cabin furniture finds its way into films and TV shows, offices and even homes. Much of what can't be reused, including titanium, aluminium and rubber, can be recycled, though about 15 per cent of waste ends up in landfill, according to the EASA. Among the retirees, there are bound to be more A380s and 747s because, in 2026, another giant is expected on the scene: the 777-9. Longer even than the 747-8, with the largest engines of any passenger plane, it should still cut fuel consumption by 10 per cent and has been ordered by British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Lufthansa amongst others. 'The aircraft features new carbon-fibre composite wings, advanced GE9X engines, and a reimagined passenger cabin,' says Bauer. 'From my point of view, the 777X will effectively mark the end of the 747 in passenger service. While some 747-8is may remain in limited use, and freighter versions will continue for years due to their payload advantages, the age of four-engine passenger aircraft is over. It is not sentiment but economics – as well as evolving regulation on noise, emissions, and sustainability – that has redrawn the map. In this new landscape, efficiency, not size, is king.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Qatar Is Excited to Dump That Private Jet on Trump (It's a Disaster)
The Qatari government used Trump to pawn off a hunking chunk of metal that they had been trying to get rid of for five years, according to reporting from Forbes. The president—easily swayed by gifts—likely just saved this foreign government thousands if not millions of dollars in storage fees and maintenance by accepting the 'palace in the sky,' a super-luxury Boeing 747 that the Qatari government has been trying to sell since 2020. Trump intends to use it as a 'temporary Air Force One.' 'Qatar, like many modern states, is shifting toward leaner, more versatile aircraft, which offer better economics and more discreet presence for official travel,' said Linus Bauer, a managing director of aviation consulting firm BAA & Partners. Qatar's decision to give the plane to Trump is 'a creative disposal strategy' and'a farewell to a bygone model of geopolitical theater in the skies.' This plane, which the Qatari government owns three of, has been phased out of air fleets across the world for the last decade due to its unreasonable gas-guzzling and the security-risk that its ginormous size presents. 'These things are big targets,' said aerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia. 'There are a lot more airports you can get into if you have a narrowbody, and many more still if you have a traditional business jet.' The temporary jet will need to be disassembled and searched for bugs before it is reinforced to the level the Air Force One is required to be. Former Air Force acquisitions chief Andrew Hunter estimated it could cost tens of millions to do a full security sweep of the plane. 'I can't imagine any well-trained senior Air Force officer saying this is a good idea,' Aboulafia said.
The National
27-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Indian airlines may take $15m hit from one-month Pakistan airspace closure
Indian airlines face longer international flights and higher fuel costs as they are forced to reroute their aircraft after Pakistan closed its airspace to them amid tension over a deadly attack in Kashmir. Pakistan put the ban on Indian-owned and operated aircraft in place until May 23. "If Pakistan's airspace closure persists for one month, the cumulative financial impact on Indian airlines could be in the range of $10 million to $15 million," said Linus Bauer, founder and managing director of UAE-based consultancy BAA & Partners. This includes direct operational costs such as fuel and crew overtime plus indirect revenue losses from flight cancellations, reduced cargo and schedule unreliability, he said. Flying time for westbound flights may increase between 45 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the route and aircraft type. This could lead to "significant" fuel cost increases, higher crew duty hours, inefficiencies and operational complexity, he said. As planes fly longer distances, the additional cost per flight could be $1,350 to $3,000 from increased fuel consumption alone, he added. Jet fuel makes up about 25 per cent of an airline's total cost, by far the single biggest component. Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated rapidly over a deadly shooting in Kashmir. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of supporting 'cross-border terrorism' after gunmen on Tuesday killed 26 people in the worst attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir for a quarter of a century. Islamabad denies involvement and calls attempts to link Pakistan to the attack at Pahalgam 'frivolous'. Airlines will pass some of the additional costs on to consumers, leading to an increase of 30 per cent to 45 per cent in fares, analysts say. Ticket prices could rise by 30 per cent to destinations in the Middle East and by 45 per cent to Europe due to higher fuel burn, said Mark Martin, chief executive of Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory and risk firm. The renewed India-Pakistan tension comes ahead of the peak summer travel season that typically translates into bumper profits for airlines. "It's extremely bad timing that we see such an escalation between India and Pakistan, with Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian-registered aircraft, right at the cusp of peak summer holiday season. Air India and Indigo will be the most affected by this," Mr Martin said. "It's always the airline business that gets impacted when India and Pakistan spar and sabre-rattle ... this will have an earning impact on airlines' financials." In 2019, the closure of Pakistan airspace for about five months caused a loss of at least $64 million to Air India, IndiGo and other airlines, Reuters reported, citing data from the Indian government. Foreign airlines, particularly Middle Eastern and European operators, could gain a competitive edge as their Indian peers grapple with flight detours, analysts say. Gulf airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways could see a relative advantage to their Indian rivals since they can continue to fly over Pakistani airspace without restrictions, they said. "Air India will be the most impacted as it has the most long-haul flights and especially non-stop services to the US, Europe and Canada," said Ameya Joshi, aviation analyst and founder of website NetworkThoughts. "In 2019, the closure was for all flights to and from India. This time around it is restricted to Indian carriers, which will give an edge to foreign carriers." Mr Bauer also said repeated disruption can erode confidence in direct India-Europe and India-Gulf services, potentially shifting market share towards Gulf hub airlines. Routes between India–UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi), India–Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) and India–Qatar (Doha) will be most affected, he said. Flights from Delhi, Mumbai and northern Indian cities in particular will require significant rerouting. Mr Bauer estimates flight times from India to the Middle East could increase by 20 minutes to 40 minutes depending on the detour. To offset fuel burn penalties, airlines may be forced to restrict cargo – particularly on narrow-body planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, therefore reducing cargo revenue, he added. IndiGo said about 50 international routes will be subject to "slight schedule adjustments" due to the Pakistani airspace closure. Its flights to Almaty are cancelled from April 27 until May 7 at the earliest and to Tashkent from April 28 until May 7. "With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo's current fleet," it said. "We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and assure them that we're looking at all options to minimise disruptions," it said.
The National
25-04-2025
- Business
- The National
European aviation needs a flight path grounded in global opportunity
Linus Benjamin Bauer is the founder and managing director of UAE-based boutique consultancy BAA & Partners
