All eyes glued on the A-380

The Airbus A-380, the largest passenger aircraft ever made, which is set to fly from Mumbai airport soon, was the centre of attraction at the India Aviation 2014 show at Hyderabad's Begumpet airport on Wednesday

The awesome bird, a symbol of the continuing effort to stretch the limits of aviation, is bound to be a game-changer after airlines like Emirates, which has the aircraft, starts operations from Mumbai and Delhi, initially.

The aviation ministry recently cleared the aircraft for regular services from India after the proposal was blocked by other Indian carriers for the simple reason that it is difficult to compete with a plane that has such high levels of fuel efficiency and can carry about 800 economy class passengers, if there is no business and first class configurations. With its incredible business and first class combos, the double decker aircraft can carry over 500 passengers.

"In short, it's like a mini palace for passengers and a head-turner wherever it goes," Captain Cyrus Cama of Mumbai, who piloted the Emirates plane to Hyderabad, told dna.
Emirates can wipe out competition on the routes on which the A-380 flies. Not just because the plane itself is a dream, but passengers will opt to wait for this flight on that route. Also the tickets are bound to be cheaper since it can accommodate more than 500 passengers. If for instance, the plane is on the Mumbai-Melbourne route, it can suck out most of the passengers of three flights on that route. With the A-380, the airline can optimise revenue.

Air India has the Dreamliner, the Boeing 787, to offer in competition. But it is no match in sheer luxury. The A-380 has bathrooms, spa, and bar and lounges and no flight is long enough for you to enjoy what the plane has to offer. The flight is a luxurious holiday. Staircases in the front and at the back as wide as those you see in Bollywood movies take you to the upper deck that houses business and economy.

"You don't even know you are on a flight; no sudden tremors, or any noise. Its economy is better than the business class seats Indian Airlines offer," an official who came on the flight said.
That seems to be an understatement as the Indian aviation sector prepares to welcome and then compete with this mighty sweet giant.