TOULOUSE – La Reunion-based Air Austral had confirmed an order for two 840-seat Airbus A380s.
They will operate in a single-class configuration on the route from La Réunion to Paris.
Air Austral also flies Sydney to Reunion, with connections to Paris and other cities in France.
With the Air Austral configuration, fuel consumption levels below two litres per passenger per 100 kilometres can be expected.
The A380 normally seats 525 passengers in a three-class configuration.
Gérard Ethève, president of Air Austral, said the A380 would offer the best comfort of any aircraft in a high density configuration.
“With its spacious and extremely quiet cabins, we’ll enter a new era in terms of economic air travel,†he said
John Leahy, Airbus COO Customers, said Air Austral was openng a new chapter for A380 operations.
“It will operate the A380 with the lowest fuel cost and emissions per passenger of any aircraft available today.
Earlier this week, Airbus parent EADS said progress on the A380 is slower than expected and indicated the A380 programme would be reviewed.
Twenty A380s are in service with four customers, Orders for the aircraft stand at 202 from 17 customers.
