Summary

  • A380 is quieter than other aircraft, making it challenging for pilots to rest on long flights.
  • Some airlines are retiring the A380 due to demand changes, opting for smaller, more frequent aircraft.
  • Airbus may need to consider adding ambient noise to help pilots rest better onboard the superjumbo.

The iconic Airbus A380, the Double Decker, Superjumbo, or whatever you want to call it, is an impressive piece of engineering. Airbus has revolutionized the way people travel with this variant of aircraft, and Emirates, the world’s largest operator, utilizes the aircraft as one of the backbones of its fleet, and international network.

At its launch, the A380 pushed aviation technical achievements to a new level. However, post-pandemic, many airlines have bid farewell to the big bird due to demand or adjustments in their networks away from the hub and spoke model and looked towards direct markets. For many carriers, having such a large aircraft with a high capacity means more tickets must be sold. In some instances, airlines have looked to retire the A380 or other large aircraft, replacing these with more economical options such as the A350 or Boeing 787, which can transport fewer people but more frequently.

One thing we need for the A380 to take flight is the pilots, and one of their biggest concerns with this superjumbo is that it is simply too quiet! Let’s understand what the real story is here.

A famously quiet aircraft

There are plenty of pros and cons to the A380 that we can talk about all day. However, the most prominent of these is the aircraft size – it can be used on prevalent and dense routes, which is why we see Emirates connect London Heathrow and Dubai up to seven times a day with the big bird. This allows carriers like Emirates to feed many travelers into its Dubai hub and other destinations. Even with four engines, it has a low per-seat burn rate, which has given the aircraft space for innovative features onboard. These innovations include showers, onboard lounges and bars, and even the apartment-style ‘The Residence’ from Etihad Airways.

Many passengers applaud the quietness onboard the A380. Data from tinnitustalk.com collates research figures for several widebody aircraft, with the A380 coming in lowest at 69.5 dB. The Boeing 787, for comparison, was quoted as 72.7 dB, while the Airbus A350 sits at 74.9 dB. For many light sleepers, the lower noise means they can rest and sleep much more straightforwardly.

Babies snoring, passengers coughing

According to Wired.com, many Emirates pilots have complained that due to the quietness of the A380, they can find it challenging to get a solid sleep when taking their scheduled rest periods. Usually, on aircraft, the engine noise can drown out cabin noise, with many only experiencing the noise of the continuous hum of the engine.

Airbus_A380_cockpit

However, onboard this aircraft, because it is significantly quieter than its competition, passengers or crew can hear every loud noise in the rest of the compartments. Flushing toilets, babies crying, or that noisy snoring passenger in the seat next door. As published by FlightGlobal, Capt. Ed Davidson, the airline’s senior vice president for fleets, reiterated this common complaint:

“We’re getting lots of complaints. On our other aircraft, the engines drown out the cabin noise. [On the A380] the pilots sleep with earplugs, but the cabin noise goes straight through them.”

Related

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What’s the solution?

Airbus usually would place the pilot’s sleeping quarters directly behind the cockpit; however, Dubai-based Emirates decided that the front of the aircraft was best suited for its first class passengers, so the decision was made to place the rest quarters at the back of the aircraft. While there was consideration to packing crew walls with insulation, this would have added unnecessary weight to the plane.

A possible remedy was mooted to pipe in ambient noise. Those with children may know that having ‘white noise’ can make it easier for you to nod off than random noises that can startle you as you try to drift off. Crew factors did a study on this theory, noting that only 71% of pilots can sleep soundly on a plane, while 91% can do so much easier at home.

Depending on your carrier of choice, the Airbus A380 has succeeded, allowing you to nod off as you are flown from point A to point B. However, the pilots onboard will continue to carry earplugs when required.

Korean Air A380 on ground

Photo: Komenton | Shutterstock

Initially, there were 15 operators of the A380; however, with Air France, China Southern, Hi Fly Malta, Malaysia Airlines, and Thai Airways now retiring the variant, the only remaining operators include:

  • All Nippon Airways
  • Asiana Airways
  • British Airways
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Korean Air
  • Lufthansa
  • Qantas
  • Qatar Airways
  • Singapore Airlines

Have you flown on the A380? How do you think the cabin noise compares to that on other aircraft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.


  • rsz_airbus_50th_years_anniversary_formation_flight_-_air_to_air

    Airbus

    Stock Code:
    AIR

    Date Founded:
    1970-12-18

    CEO:
    Guillaume Faury

    Headquarters Location:
    Toulouse, France

    Key Product Lines:
    Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380

    Business Type:
    Planemaker

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