Baha Although you say that the A380 "was planned with Asian airlines in mind" the order list does not reflect this. Air France (10) Emirates (43) Federal Express (10) ILFC USA (10) Lufthansa (15) Qantas Airways (12) Singapore Airlines (10) Virgin Atlantic (6) (Source: Speed News) I agree that trans-Pacific flights are near capacity and the market is still in its infancy. Still, the only Asian airline on the buyers list is SQ. United and Northwest are among the US carriers that ply the trans-Pacific. Are you suggesting that Airbus didn't have them in mind? I fly on widebodies most of the time and I think the time from deplaning to curbside is more dependent on the airport efficiency than on any other thing. Changi Airport deplanes passengers through two aerobridges and takes pride in delivering passengers from aircraft to curbside in twenty minutes. This includes immigration, baggage claim, and customs but does not include duty-free. Initially I was skeptical but time and time they have proven themselves. A lot of money is invested in baggage handling and the like. However Singapore will never have the a/c movements or passenger volume of most U.S. airports. Would you happen to know who is picking up the tab for A380 modifications to SFO? Regards Russell SIN At 12:37 PM 12/1/03 -0500, you wrote: >The A380 was planned with Asian airlines in mind more than US Airlines. >Let us not forget that all the projections are showing that Asian traffic >will grow much faster than US and European pax loads for years to come. >Major reason for it is the fact that more people will be able to afford >plane travel. If you think about just India and China and how their >economies >are growing, add that to other Southeastern Asian countries, then you will >see that there will be a need for A380. > >I am sure if Boeing was the party that came up with the A380, people would >get on the case of LAX if they wanted Boeing to pay for the airport >improvements. > >I think the departure gate areas are a major problem also. When I deplane >or board widebodies in ORD (gates B16-C18) the place is a zoo because the >gate area doesn't have enough capacity. > >Airports have these to worry about besides the taxiways and runways.. > >On the other hand, people with shops in the terminals are going to >look forward for the shoppers getting on/off that A380.. > >BAHA >Fan of United's Ch.9 > >-----Original Message----- >From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of >B787300@xxxxxxx >Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 11:52 AM >To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: Re: AIRLINE Digest - 28 Nov 2003 to 29 Nov 2003 (#2003-196) > > >You are correct, Al. Airbus should pick up the other 50%. > >Jose Prize >Fan of somebody other than airports paying for the problems created by this >beast > >In a message dated 11/30/2003 11:11:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, >exatc@xxxxxxxxxx writes: > > > Subj: Re: AIRLINE Digest - 28 Nov 2003 to 29 Nov 2003 (#2003-196) > > Date: 11/30/2003 11:11:24 PM Eastern Standard Time > > From: <A HREF="mailto:exatc@xxxxxxxxxx";>exatc@xxxxxxxxxx</A> > > Reply-to: <A >HREF="mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A> > > To: <A >HREF="mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A> > > Sent from the Internet > > > > > > > > Jose 50% is not enough. > > Al > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <B787300@xxxxxxx> > > To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 8:22 PM > > Subject: Re: AIRLINE Digest - 28 Nov 2003 to 29 Nov 2003 (#2003-196) > > > > > > >But the improvements needed will run in the hundreds of millions of > > dollars > > >for most airports and even after spending huge sums there will be > > restrictions > > >on other large aircraft taxiing or using runways adjacent to the big > > beast. > > > > > >Why should other airlines, particularly the narrowbody operators like > > >Southwest, AirTran, JetBlue and Spirit, have to pay increased airport >fees > > for all > > >these required modifications and restrictions to benefit a few other > > carriers > > >with minimum operations daily? All of the airlines will pass their > > increased > > >fees on to the flying public so we'll all end up paying for a stupid > > decision to > > >build an aircraft too large to operate safely at most airports. > > > > > >Jose Prize > > >Fan of Virgin but they and other A380 buyers should pay 50% of the >airport > > >construction costs > >