"Big planes and big airport renovations"

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Big planes and big airport renovations
A380 means new runways, carousels
By BRENT JANG
United Kingdom - The Globe and Mail


The wraps are barely off the Airbus A380 "superjumbo," and airports are
already scrambling to handle the double-decker aircraft and the 555
passengers it will carry.

Major airports are budgeting hundreds of millions of dollars to build
everything from passenger bridges to baggage carousels.

At London's Heathrow Airport, nearly $1-billion has been set aside to widen
runways, install ramps and upgrade immigration sites.

Joining the frenzied race to spend big money to revamp infrastructure are
Los Angeles International Airport, New York's John F. Kennedy International
Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Nearly 60 airports around the world are preparing to deal with the new
European aircraft, including at least 15 in North America.

Aviation fans are getting a glimpse of the A380 today at an unveiling
ceremony in France. European consortium Airbus SAS is counting on the
world's largest passenger jet to be a winner.

The new four-aisle Airbus is poised to reshape the aviation industry just as
the rival Boeing 747 from the United States did in 1970.

Test flights for the A380 are scheduled to begin this spring.

"It's one heck of a huge plane," said Rick Erickson, managing director of RP
Erickson & Associates, an independent aviation consulting firm based in
Calgary.

With two levels in the A380, loading will be speeded up with two bridges,
with one roughly eight storeys above the ground, said Mr. Erickson, who
expects that Toronto's Pearson International Airport, Vancouver
International Airport and Montreal's Trudeau Airport eventually will be able
to handle the new-generation airplane.

"And remember that the baggage carousels will have to be redeveloped because
all of a sudden there'll be twice as much luggage," he added.

Analysts say the A380 is crucial for busy airports. "It's way too large
except for the largest of markets. We won't be seeing one in Calgary," Mr.
Erickson said. "The airplane has a very big footprint."

Singapore Airlines Ltd., Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Qantas
Airways Ltd. and Emirates Airline will be among the carriers adding the
A380.

"The introduction of the A380 is going to have the same impact on
infrastructure and the industry over all as the 747," said Eryl Smith,
director of business strategy, planning and development for Heathrow's
owner, BAA PLC.

Toronto's Pearson International Airport is one of the fortunate ones, since
it took the A380 into account when it designed its new Terminal 1, which
opened last April, so Canada's largest airport is ready to accept the larger
aircraft.

"The only thing we may have to do is slight modifications," said Connie
Turner, spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which runs
Pearson.

She said the A380 is scheduled to make its commercial flight debut at
Heathrow Airport next year, and Pearson should be getting its first look at
the aircraft by early 2007. "It's quite something for the airline industry,
so we're certainly excited to be able to accommodate it. It'll be a large
volume of passengers that come through."

Montreal-based Air Canada hasn't ordered any A380s for its fleet renewal
program. "We currently don't have a requirement for an aircraft of that size
. . . ," said Air Canada spokeswoman Laura Cooke. 

Pier C at Pearson's Terminal 3 will be able to handle the A380, as will the
new international Pier F at Terminal 1 to be completed in 2007.

Airbus statistics

Airbus's new A380 overtakes Boeing's 747 as the world's largest passenger
jet with twin-deck seating for 555 passengers. 

Here's how the two stack up: 

The A380 is only slightly longer than its predecessor but it stacks two
decks of seating and stands 24.38 metres tall (to the top of its tail),
compared with the smaller 747 at just under 19.5 metres.

Airbus 380

Passengers: 555

Wingspan: 79.85 metres

Cabin width: 

Main: 6.70 metres

Upper: 5.79 metres

Boeing 747

Passengers: 410

Wingspan: 64.31 metres

Cabin width: 6.09 metres

SOURCES: AIRBUS SAS AND BOEING CO.


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