"Swiss airport foresees double-deck Airbus A380 as private jet"

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Swiss airport foresees double-deck Airbus A380 as private jet
Agence France-Presse


GENEVA, (AFP) - Forget fare-paying long-haul passengers, Switzerland's
Geneva airport is predicting the giant new Airbus A380 airliner unveiled on
Tuesday could be a hit as a private jet for the elite, and is improving its
runway.

The airport, which principally deals with European traffic as well as a few
longer haul flights to the Middle East, US and Asia, is not expecting the
A380 to be used much on scheduled flights in and out of Geneva, a spokesman
said.

But it is preparing for the A380's huge wingspan and plump take-off weight
because it also hosts a sizeable number of aircraft carrying heads of states
to international meetings or wealthy leaders on private trips to lakeside or
Alpine retreats.

"It's quite plausible," said Philippe Roy, a spokesman for Geneva airport.

"We receive many heads of state in Geneva, some of them on Boeing 747s. When
one sees the number of orders for A380s from the Gulf, one can imagine that
they'll be used to come to Geneva," he added.

The airport is pressing ahead with the final stage of runway improvements
this spring that include the reinforcement of a 100 metre stretch over a
road tunnel to cope with the controlled arrival of 560 tonnes from the sky.

"We have prepared the works to take account of the A380. It will be able to
land without trouble," Roy said.

In summer 2002, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia arrived in Geneva on board his
private Boeing 747 for a three month visit to his mansion near the Swiss
city.

He was accompanied by 11 more long-haul aircraft carrying family, staff and
medical facilities.


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