The first single class Airbus A380 double-decker super jumbos carrying 840 passengers have been ordered by an airline.
Air Austral, based in La Réunion in the Indian Ocean, has ordered two single-class A380s seating around 840 passengers.
The aircraft will be operated on the high-density route from La Réunion to Paris.
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.
The airline’s president Gérard Ethève said: “The A380 will 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.”
Airbus chief operating officer for customers John Leahy said: “Air Austral opens 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.
“The in-service experience has shown just how efficient the A380 really is, and this order from Air Austral demonstrates new ways of benefiting from that efficiency.”
by Phil Davies
