01/09/09, 00:13:01 UTC

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Canadians take flight on A380

theglobeandmail.com

Passengers speak highly of experiences aboard Airbus superjumbo

The double-decker Airbus A380 carried its first planeload of Canadian passengers yesterday, touching down in Paris after a historic, six-hour test flight from Montreal.

Airbus and Air France filled the world's largest passenger plane's two levels with invited guests and people who entered contests to board the demonstration flight.

But amid the hoopla, industry observers caution that consumers are unlikely to pay premium fares for the sheer novelty of the superjumbo jet.

Rick Erickson, a Calgary-based aviation consultant who was among 519 travellers on the festive trip, said the A380 will fill a niche of flying from "hub to hub" - between the world's biggest cities. With major airports congested with traffic, European-based Airbus hopes to outsmart rival Boeing Co. of Chicago by arguing that bigger is better because the A380 would be able to load and unload travellers more efficiently than smaller Boeing aircraft.

Bernard Labadie, a Montreal businessman on yesterday's special A380 flight, said he bases his booking decisions on the ticket price. While praising the new plane's comfort and space, he warned that he and others who fly in economy class will go with the lowest fares, whatever the plane.

Mr. Erickson said it's too early to declare a winner in the Airbus-Boeing battle, and the A380 is slowly gaining momentum, after suffering setbacks with a series of production delays.

He said that while it's highly unlikely that Montreal-based Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. of Calgary would ever have a need for such a massive plane because of Canada's relatively small markets, there are plenty of big names in the airline industry that require the A380.

Dubai-based Emirates Airline, Qantas Airways of Australia, Singapore Airlines and Air France are among the carriers with A380 orders.

Bustling Asia in particular needs the superjumbo, but its strength is in long-haul markets crossing oceans, so the plane isn't attractive on busy U.S. routes such as New York-Los Angeles, analysts say.

Air France could be one foreign carrier that tries introducing the A380 to Canada, but only three airports - Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal - have made the modifications required to handle the double-decker configuration and wide wingspan.

Yesterday, the A380 landed to applause from passengers, capping a red-eye flight in which the star attraction was the jet itself.

One lucky couple from the Montreal region, Jules and Nicole Candau, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on the trip.

"We're very happy with this plane," said Mr. Candau, 80, a retired beer salesman.

During the flight, one of the most popular attractions was a 15-step staircase, wide enough for three people to comfortably walk up and down.

Camera flashes popped constantly throughout the flight, as passengers took souvenir shots of the 519-seat aircraft, especially the 12 lie-flat seats in first class and 64 spacious seats in business class. Hangouts include a stand-up bar and two sofas equipped with seatbelts.

José Leroux, president of Montreal-based tour operator Intair, enjoyed the luxury of first class with his companion, Quebec actress Valérie Valois.

"It's so quiet in the cabin, and the ride is stable," said Ms. Valois, before pressing buttons to turn her seat into a bed.

While travellers usually seek sleep on long-haul trips, the first A380 flight to take Canadians overseas kept many awake, as naps were interrupted by a stream of camera-toting passengers strolling through the plane as if it were a cruise ship.

 Printable Version  | published Nov 18, 2007