If there's ever a flight that you want to qualify for pre-boarding on.......

[marmar]

from the Guardian UK:



Airliner to set record with 800 passengers
Long-distance carrier orders 'high density' A380 to hold most passengers ever to fly in a single aeroplane

Matthew Weaver
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 November 2009 15.32


The retail adage "stack 'em high and pack 'em tight" is to be introduced to airlines after plans were announced today for economy-only flights carrying a record-breaking 800 passengers in Airbus A380s.

The French company Air Austral said that it placed orders for two "high density" double-decker A380s with a capacity for 840 seats.

When full, the flights between Paris and the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, where the company is based, will easily involve the most passengers ever to fly in a single aeroplane.

Air Austral plans to start operating the flights from 2014. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/17/aeroplane-flight-record-passengers

[babylonsister]

1. I have absolutely no desire to ever fly on one of those planes.

I think they're scary, and I like to fly (usually).

[marmar]

2. I tend to agree. I like flying, but 600+ people? That's a little much....

nt

[dflprincess]

11. My friend's lake cabin is near a town with fewer people than that

somehow that seems so weird.

[tabatha]

4. Me neither.

800 people to feed, fuss over, etc. Yeech.
The probability of disruptors goes up at least fourfold.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Grayhound in the sky

all economy...

[Hawkeye-X]

5. Interesting. Air Austral is a major carrier for a French island called Reunion

which is east of Madgascar. A 767 will suffice. But OK.

[pitohui]

is that a joke, sure it's south of italy ffs!!! we're not THAT geo-dyslexic

reunion is where the dodos lived, its near madagascar

i don't go to that region unless it's business class, sorry, saving a few bucks is not worth losing my leg or my life to DVT

you can also go business to jnb and get relatively short flights to reunion or you can go business on air france to tana (capital of madagascar) and then get a flight on mad air to many destinations in the indian ocean, i THINK reunion is one of them but if it ain't you can find another way to get there from there...

ha ha before i even posted i see you corrected your typo (south of italy in-fucking-deed!)


:-)

[Hawkeye-X]

19. I misread that map.. had to scroll down before realizing it's that far south..

I knew it was east of Africa, just had to find my brain.

:)

[northzax]

16. This is a good point

Where they going to find 800+ people a week who want to hit La Reunion?

[Capn Sunshine]

24. It's a global warming contingency

They will have to move the entire population fast when the ocean rises. Three Airbuses oughta do it

[Kutjara]

6. I remember when they first showed the artists' renderings of the A380.

All the talk was about on-board gyms and cocktail bars and massage/spa facilities. Looks like all that stuff didn't even make it past the drawing board. Nope, it's a cattlecar, only one with room for a lot more cattle.

[babylonsister]

7. Not to mention, there are limited airports they can land at. nt

[Kutjara]

Yep. There was also talk about how these "superjumbos"...

...are going to radically change the way we fly. There'll be much fewer direct flights to "secondary destinations" and far more long-haul superjumbos traveling between major hubs, with "local" flights connecting to places that are currently served by direct flights.

Just what we all need: more exposure to the people who screw up our bookings, delay our flights, and steal/lose our luggage. Hurrah!

[tabasco]

8. All I care about is a cheap ticket.

So this airline might be for me.

[amborin]

18. really?

the cheapest seats are usually on union busting carriers, such a Virgin Atlantic, for example...

fired a long time tenured captain b/c he started union organizing

cheap tix come at a big price

[On the Road]

21. You and I

seem to be the only person here with this reaction.

I travel every years but international tickets have gone up a lot. This is going to bring prices down if it's widely deployed.

Travel is an ordeal anyway, but who cares if there are 200 or 800 people on the plane?

[Wapsie B]

9. Wow talk about intimacy among strangers.

Airbus makes some comfy planes but not when they'll be packed in like sardines.

[csziggy]

10. If they ever want to evacuate Réunion, that will only be 1000 flights!

Very efficient.

Between volcanoes and disease, not a place I would want to be shipping large numbers of people to and from!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9union

[1]

12. imagine the lines at the toilet!

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. Is this a monthly departure?

I am surprised they found this economically viable.

[JimWis]

14. I love to fly, and I am not claustrophobic, but, there is something

about cramming 800 people in that plane that gives me the heebie jeebies. Not sure I would want to fly in that.

[Hawkeye-X]

20. This JJ is all economy

not business/first class..

Hmmm..

[Shell Beau]

15. As someone who isn't too fond of flying anyway, thanks, but no thanks.

[amborin]

17. you'll never get me on it, for that reason & many others!

and i fly a fair amount

[Toucano]

22. I think I'd have to call Jeff Gillooly the night before. n/t

[Statistical]

23. Wonder what the liability insurance for the carriers runs?

Because now when an airbus falls out of the sky and kills everyone on board they can get sued by twice as many families. :)

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Wow. Shocking. Remember when Airbus started promo'ing that thing? They had pictures with

like some kind of spacious lounge area; shit, I think there was a gym...

My first thought was, "yeah- right. The airlines will get a hold of that fucker and it will become the world's biggest cattle car"

Sadly, I was right.

[guitar man]

26. Yeah just wait

Until one goes down with 800 people on board, I have a feeling they might not think it's such a good idea then.

[amborin]

27. anyone remember the standing only sections?

where pax stand for the entire flight, supported by this sort of amusement park type wrap-around metal handle?

[MisterP]

28. that means RyanAir will try 1,200 nt