An Emirates Airbus A380-861 with the new livery is taking off from Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, on April 12, 2024.
Emirates is the largest operator of the Airbus A380.Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
  • The boss of Emirates thinks Airbus should make a new version of the double-decker Airbus A380.

  • Tim Clark suggested new lighter materials and more fuel-efficient engines could make it more viable.

  • “If we were to put $20 billion on the table for Airbus, they’d probably build it for us,” he told BI.

A revamped version of the Airbus A380 could get orders from several airlines, the president of Emirates told Business Insider.

Asked if he’d like Airbus to resume production of the superjumbo, Tim Clark replied, “Well, they know we do. I’ve given them the designs.”

The “compelling nature” of a four-engine plane remains “quite clear to many, many people,” he said.

Tim Clark speaking at a press conference with an image of a plane behind him.
Tim Clark of Emirates thinks the A380 remains a “compelling” aircraft for some airlines.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Emirates is by far the largest operator of the double-decker plane, with a fleet of 118. Singapore Airlines is next with just 13.

Airbus ended production of the A380 in 2021 — 18 years after it began.

The four-engined plane received 251 orders from 14 customers, with many airlines wary of its high operating costs.

However, Clark suggested that a modernized version of the A380 could be up to 25% more fuel efficient.

He pointed to using lighter and more aerodynamic materials, as well as new engines with UltraFan technology being developed by Rolls-Royce.

Clark said the Airbus A380 is “probably the most profitable asset we’ve got,” while a more fuel-efficient version would be cheaper to operate as well as more environmentally friendly.

“I believe there is a case,” Clark told BI. “The risk-averse nature of my peer group, CEOs, and boards is probably a major inhibitor to that But if we were to put $20 billion on the table for Airbus, they’d probably build it for us.”

Airbus did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

While some airlines, such as Air France and Thai Airways, retired their A380s during the pandemic, the superjumbo has since seen a resurgence.

Lufthansa brought eight of its 14 out of retirement, and Etihad has reactivated six A380s. Global Airlines, a British startup, has acquired one formerly used by China Southern Airlines and hopes to launch commercial flights between London and New York this year.

A380 premium economy cabin on an Emirates plane
Emirates is fitting premium economy cabins on many of its A380s.Ryan Lim/AFP/Getty Images

The A380 has been popular with passengers because its size offers more comfort, and it’s quieter than other wide-body jets, especially when seated on the upper deck.

Its mammoth size has also allowed airlines to install luxurious amenities, like Emirates’ bar and shower for first-class passengers.

But its huge capacity of about 500 passengers means it needs to be used on very popular routes. This works well for Emirates’ hub-and-spoke route model — connecting passengers to destinations around the world via Dubai — but less so for others. Airbus did not get any orders from airlines in North or South America, for example.

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