The QUIET Plan To Replace The Airbus A380
Airframe
3,255 views
There is a plan to replace the Airbus A380 — it just isn't the plan anyone reports on.
This episode covers the three routes to an A380 successor and why only one of them is actually in motion. The order book: Emirates' 65 additional 777-9s at Dubai in November 2025, taking its 777X commitment to around 270 aircraft, and the seat-count problem that leaves behind. The drawings: Boeing's 777-10 feasibility study and Airbus's studies of a stretched A350, neither launched, neither large enough. And the constraint underneath both — the engine, where Rolls-Royce has indicated six to seven years of development for a stretched A350 powerplant.
Then the part that gets almost no coverage: the $5 billion retrofit programme at Emirates Engineering in Dubai, 100 aircraft completed as of July 2026, including the first conversion of a two-class A380 into a three-class aircraft. Sized, almost to the year, to bridge the gap the engine timeline created.
Sources:
Emirates media centre, retrofit programme releases (May 2026, July 2026)
FlightGlobal, Boeing 777-9 certification and Emirates 777-10 coverage
Aviation Week, Emirates fleet and 777X reporting
Airbus FY results briefing, February 2026
Reuters / Rolls-Royce statements on a stretched A350 powerplant, July 2026
ch-aviation fleet data
Airframe is a channel about one aircraft: the Airbus A380 — where it is now, who still flies it, and what happens next.
Footage used for commentary and analysis. Credits: Airbus, Boeing, Emirates, Rolls-Royce.
#A380 #AirbusA380 #Aviation
3 Comments
Whilst I am sure that there is a good story desperately trying to get out, the schoolboy errors are seriously tying the shoelaces of this flow together.
Showing so many views in OBVIOUSLY-reversed image is just plain annoying. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The QUIET Plan To Replace The Airbus A380
Airframe
3,255 views
There is a plan to replace the Airbus A380 — it just isn't the plan anyone reports on.
This episode covers the three routes to an A380 successor and why only one of them is actually in motion. The order book: Emirates' 65 additional 777-9s at Dubai in November 2025, taking its 777X commitment to around 270 aircraft, and the seat-count problem that leaves behind. The drawings: Boeing's 777-10 feasibility study and Airbus's studies of a stretched A350, neither launched, neither large enough. And the constraint underneath both — the engine, where Rolls-Royce has indicated six to seven years of development for a stretched A350 powerplant.
Then the part that gets almost no coverage: the $5 billion retrofit programme at Emirates Engineering in Dubai, 100 aircraft completed as of July 2026, including the first conversion of a two-class A380 into a three-class aircraft. Sized, almost to the year, to bridge the gap the engine timeline created.
Sources:
Emirates media centre, retrofit programme releases (May 2026, July 2026)
FlightGlobal, Boeing 777-9 certification and Emirates 777-10 coverage
Aviation Week, Emirates fleet and 777X reporting
Airbus FY results briefing, February 2026
Reuters / Rolls-Royce statements on a stretched A350 powerplant, July 2026
ch-aviation fleet data
Airframe is a channel about one aircraft: the Airbus A380 — where it is now, who still flies it, and what happens next.
Footage used for commentary and analysis. Credits: Airbus, Boeing, Emirates, Rolls-Royce.
#A380 #AirbusA380 #Aviation
and Airbus has to do the same with the 320 series. Now that the airlines have moved to more non stops from smaller airportsthe few left will eventually have to live with the a350 1000 and the 777x currently almost certified.