Why No Canadian Airline Bought The A380

The Airbus A380, the world’s largest airliner, is without a doubt a technological marvel, even if it wasn’t quite the success that Airbus had hoped for.
The current global climate aside, as traffic peaked in Canada pre-2020, and airports became more congested, why didn’t any of Canada’s airlines take advantage of the A380?
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SOURCES:
Airbus Orders and Deliveries
www.airbus.com...
Who Needs a 747-8i? Air Canada Puts 458 Seats in 777-300ER
leehamnews.com...
Air Canada CEO praises high-density 777s
runwaygirlnetw...
Airbus FAST November 2016 - A380 Special Edition
www.airbus.com...
Air Canada and the 747-400
www.aircanada....
OAG - Busiest Routes 2019 (Mar 2018-Feb 2019)
www.oag.com/hu...
Vancouver-Calgary busiest domestic route in Canada, 10th on continent
westernaviatio...
An American Airlines VP reveals why the Airbus A380 doesn’t work for the world’s biggest airline
www.businessin...
A380 does not work for United: CFO
www.flightglob...
Delta exec: Airbus A380 superjumbos would be a bad fit
www.usatoday.c...
The Plane That Never Should Have Been Build - The A380 Was Designed For Failure
www.forbes.com...
Air France A380 Montreal
ici.radio-cana...
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Outro song - "Take Flight" by Nyhtian: • Nyhtian - Take Flight ...
© Alex Praglowski Aviation 2020
This video is the property of Alex Praglowski Aviation and may not be used for any purpose without prior permission. Contact me at the email in the "About" section of my channel for usage.

[@Carrera911Fan]

Air Canada honestly has the nicest liveries. As much as i loved the ice blue of the 2000s, the retro modern black and white livery is fire!

[@landongunn9870]

Agreed

[@superseries7007]

Absolutely.

[@Casc.]

very true but the mask on the modern black doesn't look that good on planes like the 787

[@darksid356]

Best livery of any airline imo

[@Casc.]

@@darksid356 nah westjet

[@jnyerere]

I've had the privilege of flying in the upper and lower decks of the A380 on Emirates. Truly a shame that the aircraft has proved to not be economical. It was such a joy to fly.

[@Chrisp707-]

It’s only economical for Emirates

[@michealktrevor]

@@Chrisp707- even China Southern run them economically.

[@j2simpso]

Nothing beats upper deck on a 747

[@aseem7w9]

unfortunately i got to fly only on ek and etd a380 lower deck economy and it was nothing special

[@stevendunn6255]

@@aseem7w9 you hit it on the head with your response.lower deck was no different than a 737, and way longer too board and de-plane on arrival…

[@llieu5642]

There is not enough demand for A380 within Canada and international routes, 400 seats are already enough

[@Huntress_Hannah]

I’m not surprised by this. Without even clicking on the video I was like “they probably don’t need planes that big” cuz even tho Canada is massive, population wise it’s only the size of Cali.

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

and also most people sitting 200km of the border

[@pjimmbojimmbo1990]

I saw the 380 at Pearson in Sept 2014. I was staying at the Hilton at the NE end of the Airport. During a break at the Convention I was attending, I went to my Room and opened the Curtains, and Lo and Behold sat an A380 with the Livery of Emirates. about 1000 ft away. It is a big plane. I took a bunch of pictures of it using a 300 mm lens

[@Jacksonrodriguez]

I feel like I've hit the credits of a game when your theme song comes on. Great vid Alex as always!

[@mattman6461]

Would have been a good fit for Porter. Lol

[@afcgeo882]

😂 Imagine that at Billy Bishop?

[@habbsterr]

Hourly service, YUL-YTZ on the whale lol

[@canadianaviator]

@@afcgeo882 That’s straight up murder

[@purplerabbit638]

Hahahahha

[@j2simpso]

I wonder if it would have the ETOPs certification to make it across Lake Ontario?

[@kierancalder8573]

Air Canada A380 doesn’t exist, it cant hurt you. Thumbnail: 👀

[@airwipe1639]

Swoop painted on a 380 👀

[@shawnz241]

Canada - where a 737-200 is more relevant than an A380

[@plamantin2937]

even the dc3 or pby

[@BPanio]

Give the A380 a gravel kit and make it a combi and I'm sure Nolinor would buy a few haha

[@michaelsoars17]

Yes Lmao

[@robertlyon2926]

I flew the gravel 200s with PWA

[@gregoryosley9517]

P

[@Maxplayz7566]

Sunwing Airlines Inc. is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Sunwing Airlines offers scheduled and charter services from Canada and the United States to destinations within the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America in the winter months.

[@x01macmilsim86]

Because you can't fill a 777 from Calgary to London

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

maybe if they ran cheaper flights once a month , LOL

[@gteixeira]

Back in 2011 I flew from Paris to Toronto in a 767 and there were maybe only 70 passengers inside. If such route had such small demand, I hardly believe that there would be demand for an A380 at all.

[@ThePowerofJames]

I think Alex already knows this, but that thumbnail with the new livery on a 380 is just beautiful. Also would love to hear about Air Canada's two prospective orders of the Concorde from years ago!!

[@InfernoGamer007]

Great video Alex! It's on my bucket list to fly either a 747 or an A380 before they are out of the skies for good.

[@300zx-sfy8]

That’s a good bucket list! I’ve flown on the 747-8 and it’s great! Would love to experience the A380. Good luck 👍

[@Simon_PieMan]

I’ve flown in both. Each are great - A380 seems like a smoother take-off.

[@dalegoodell6019]

I flew China Southern Vancouver to Guangzhou and back in early 2017. Both flights were 777s. In late 2018 I flew China Southern LAX to Guangzhou and back, both on the A380. A HUGE aircraft!

[@ianschiller9612]

A380 is just too big. Really good video explaining that issue

[@jovanholland36]

4:19 ima get ya

[@rulinghabs]

That British Airways 380 at 3:38 was landing in Vancouver. They used the 380 in the Spring and Summer and the 747 in the fall and winter into Vancouver. I was looking forward to catching some videos of it last spring. Now I will never get the chance.

[@rscott2247]

Ironically some airlines are bringing back the 380 out of storage to meet passengers demand for 2022/23.

[@viscount757]

Even the 747 was too big for Canadian carriers. The market is highly seasonal and while the 747 worked for a few peak season months on a few routes, for the rest of the year they couldn't be filled without fares that were too low to be profitable. Smaller widebodies like the DC-10 and L-1011 were more appropriate for Canadian carriers, but since many of their much larger foreign competitors had large fleets of 747s, the fleet decisions of Canadian 747 operators (Air Canada, CP Air, Wardair, Canadian Airlines) often weren't based on economic factors.

[@ImperialDiecast]

good old days when things were about prestige than bean counters

[@derekz]

Agreed. It’s more of an airline choice issue. China Southern CZ329/330 YVR-Guangzhou flight used to be served by the 787 Dreamliner and had 2 flights per day! But since COVID China imposed strict aviation restrictions and now China Southern can only fly this round trip route once a week. So they switched to the A380 to maximize the number of passengers they can bring along each way. I loved their newer 787 fleet better though... the A380 is a bit old and the economy seats on the upper deck don’t even have charger ports and my phone was dying... 😂

[@TMM6900]

787 from cz is nice. Way better than the 330

[@Sami_WTF]

Easiest answer to the title: *It wasn't economical*

[@texasabbott]

Even Easier Answer: No one wants to deal with maintenance or repair of its four engines and many sets of crazy landing gear at the hangar

[@dreamershavemorefun]

This was extremely helpful Alex, I remember seeing the Air France A380 a few times in Montreal and always wondered if I’d ever get to fly on it, sadly I never did.

[@TyNovakAviation]

Your videos are always a privilege to be able to watch!

[@TMM6900]

I was once lucky enough to see BA A380 in YVR. Man that thing is big and beautiful

[@winhtin3420]

If you can jam 400 to 450 passengers on a 777-300ER, why bother with the A-380??

[@robertlyon2926]

458 actually , I came out of Hong Kong one day with 481 souls on board . I was the Captain .

[@winhtin3420]

@@robertlyon2926 Forgot to count the air crew :-)

[@robertlyon2926]

That was with crew and several infants .The most SOB I had in a 45 year career .

[@you_want_some_gamer8553]

4:19 I have watch this video multiple times. Is it just me or is it surprising how good the video is. More or less on the Turkish 777 and 380

[@XxXNinjaFanXxX]

ive been working at yvr for close to 3 years now as an air traffic controller, dealt with a380 pilots many a time, superjumbo pilots are either super cocky or super relaxed, still awesome to see them from the tower though.

[@twinchantillytiffanysbenny8852]

Not just Canada, United States carriers chose not to also. Canada and USA knew it would be a waste of $$$. Not to mention a logistical nightmare. Airlines with the 380 can’t get rid of it fast enough!

[@TretonMAAviation]

Cool stuff 👌

[@mohd_allearz8403]

The a380 and 747 are both not needed in Canada. It be nice if they randomly had a few stored somewhere just to fly on special occasions but thats not realistic

[@Jason-yl9ek]

Fantastic video as always Alex!

[@Prodagist]

Canadian airlines, air canada in particular, had also been starting to move away from 3-4 engine widebodies before the A380 even hit the market. They retired all their L1011 tri stars by 1999, and by the time the A380 hit the market in 2005, they were already making preparations to retire their 747s, which they retired shortly after. The last of their quad-jets, their A340s, would be retired by 2008. The other two airlines, Westjet and Air transat, dont have enough routes, nor enough demand from passangers to warrant such a jet as mentioned in the video.

[@rodcodes]

I mean, I worked at Joburg Tower - in SA during the peak of A380 - we had Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates and BA flying the A380 in - what an experience!

[@an_asian_guy]

We used to have some Boeing 747s for air Canada but that was a long time ago

[@JT-sz7xc]

No US airline ever flew the A380 either, both Canada and the USA saw the future of air travel and knew the A380 was not economical.

[@Brick-Life]

4:36 My fav A380

[@mississaugaicedogs]

You made a good point about the other airlines flying to their hubs. The YYZ-YVR Air Canada flight sometimes is a 777-300ER that then flys on to Asian destinations like Shanghai or Hong Kong, I remember flying to YKA via YVR in 2011 and that being on the Gate when i disembarked at YVR. Westjet though was getting into the hub and spoke model from YYC before the Pandemic with LD flights to international destinations and then domestic connections via their domestic subsidiary (encore, think like AC Jazz).

[@DavidMScott-cs8pp]

I flew weekly in the 70s and flew in DC 8s & 9's, 10's 727's 737s,747's and AC's Lockheed 1011's. By far in my estimation the 1011 outshone them all. Too bad AC went the 747 route as they were not an economical choice. The big 1011 could handle 400 passengers and fly 4000 nautical miles. It was very quiet and beautifully accommodated and had only 3 fuel burners.

[@Arthurr299]

The livery on the A380 looks sick

[@AgeCobra]

We would rather for for the 747 as being past operators .We need a 4th airline more over for more competition .

[@ApexAviation9782]

4:33 well now they actually fly B777-300(ER)'s but yes, they did used to fly the A380 here, scheduled to come back around march 2021

[@KunalDebChandra]

Would be awesome if Air Canada flew the 747-800 aircraft within Canada and USA as well as Europe and Asia.

[@nickolliver3021]

they didn't order any

[@ronh2660]

I like your comment that it would take longer to board the plane than the actual flight time. It shows how inefficiency of the boarding process

[@baomao7243]

I saw this firsthand boarding an A380 in S. Africa. Boarding was - no joke - perhaps an hour long process with an incredible size crowd standing around for what felt like forever. I think they were running nearly max economy class configuration. The boarding area seemed like an hour-long CIRCUS.

[@gcorriveau6864]

I wonder if anyone every tried a 'shared' arrangement. What if two or three airlines sold their own seats (even in their own cabins?) on a large HUB based plane like that... Like how corporate jets sell 'time share' memberships.

[@robm3074]

As always, Alex....great video.

[@StarTheAvgeek]

Well done Explaining the A380 not flying in Canada *@Alex Praglowski Aviation*

[@CP-012]

I think Air Canada learned their lesson back in the 70’s and 80’s with the 747.

[@you_want_some_gamer8553]

I definitely don’t know anything. But with Air Canada getting rid of the 767’s it would definitely surprise me. seeing them get a few a380s for rouge... during peak season Air Canada rouge was flying 4 767 a day to Florida From Toronto alone so in a couple years it’s always possible

[@malthelarsen6575]

i flew london to vancouver on one of BAs a380

[@BtoZ403]

Good video again Alex!

[@aacefamily4956]

You should have a podcast

[@kingsdun]

Emirates to Toronto has been a 777 for several weeks now. The 380 was used for a couple of weeks at most when they resumed. It’s a bit disappointing. EK241/EK242.

[@abdu-razakjibrinjawando4292]

Emirates A380 still comes to YYZ daily

[@peterzhou372]

I don’t recall since when China Southern started flying their A380 to YVR. They were using either B777-300ER or B787-9 on this route before COVID. Probably the demand of returning Chinese citizen from Canada during COVID is wayyy to high and they switch to their largest aircraft to accommodate.

[@canadianaviator]

It’s complicated to explain. Flight is not always “full” but yeah

[@peterzhou372]

@@canadianaviator Looking at their booking availability, the YVR-CAN flight seems to be pretty much full.

[@aviationsky3245]

Very good information!

[@HustiAndYab]

i really wish westjet and air canada had the a380

[@voxer99]

Not quite the success Airbus had hoped for? It has been a complete and utter disaster. Airbus has lost billions of euros on this project.

[@Mark-yo5ue]

You would have thought Airbus learned it’s lesson after the A340-600, but no... they went bigger and fell harder. Boeing seems to have judged the market better with the 787.

[@aviationlba747]

The A380 doesn’t suit the Air Canada livery at all, the 747 looked much better in Air Canada’s old livery.

[@shakiMiki]

That's a really significant factor.

[@ezekielonline9616]

YES

[@ariebertversteeg4347]

The A380 was a politic prestige of Airbus to have a competitor for the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. We now know the results...........

[@germanjijinhee]

Just amazing video~!

[@kyleenglot9184]

Same reason they got rid of their 747's the 777 is big enough for their most busiest routes.

[@babajungLA]

I think its not economically feasible and Canadian Airlines dont really work the hub and spoke model. Its also not really about the smaller population either. UAE and Australia both have lower population than Canada but Emirates/Ethihad/Qantas have some of the largest A380 fleets.

[@2Stonefly]

Why did Canada not choose the A380? Because half the population could fit into two of these jets.

[@Cingearth]

the cost per seat mile is against the a380 except when your running 85 % loads on every trip !

[@Ahuntsicspotter]

There was a Lufthansa Airbus a 380 flying between Frankfurt and New Delhi operating the Air Canada codesharing flight ✈️ and at the same time it was also a United airlines codesharing flight ✈️ to.

[@dootdoot1867]

I think Air Canada could do fine if they offered flights to china and India with a few A380's.

[@Avishek85]

Imagine a Porter Airlines A380 from Toronto Island Airport to Ottawa 🤣

[@ianmcgarrigle8492]

The Canadian's have so suitable routes. So they stuck initially with the B.747 and later the B.777 and B.787. Simple as that.

[@kevinnn1498]

It’s not in Air Canada’s business culture to operate a 4 engine aircraft and this since retiring the A340 back in 07-08..

[@bilalahmed2123]

Air Canada is just stingy

[@Brick-Life]

1:32 looks funny. tiny plane next to biggest civil plane

[@markp7649]

Air Canada A380 from Whitehorse to Iqaluit?

[@harryji3356]

a country with less than a 40million people, not a famous travel destination, and is not a world center of air transport. That's why

[@johniii8147]

same reason no US airline and most of world didnt..didn't need an aircraft that large and so expensive to operate with very limited flexibility.

[@jovanholland36]

Air Canada A380 look sick

[@petervonkanel4963]

Be nice for Vancouver to Toronto and then Toronto to London

[@ninein]

How did you make an Air Canada A380?

[@arnomongiat6358]

Does the arero Mexico do day have a380

[@stevenchung5996]

Air Canada Airbus A380 could worked from Toronto to Seoul, Vancouver to Sydney Australia, Toronto to Hong Kong and Toronto to Tokyo occasionally from Toronto to Taipei, Toronto to Abu Dhabi, Vancouver to Melbourne Australia.

[@PInk77W1]

I don’t think the A380 can make it from Toronto to Sydney nonstop. Too far

[@stevenchung5996]

@@PInk77W1 well it is duable stopover at vancouver though!.

[@PInk77W1]

@@stevenchung5996 ok that makes sense

[@ElizabethCherryBlossom]

@@PInk77W1 if a 787 air New Zealand can do a Auckland to New York flight then a A380 can do a Toronto to Sydney flight.

[@PInk77W1]

@@ElizabethCherryBlossom ok. I was wrong. But, can it do it and make a profit ? The problem with the A380 is expense Not range. It can fill up and make a profit in high Tourist season, but year around is hard to fill. The 787 only has to find half as many customers to make a profit.

[@nolancarter2258]

I want to leave a like but it’s at 787 and I don’t want to ruin it

[@PInk77W1]

787, the A380 klller

[@nickolliver3021]

@@PInk77W1 777x= a380 killer as well

[@PInk77W1]

@@nickolliver3021 I’m a huge 777 fan. But I think the 777-9 is too big. I hope I’m wrong I hope it sells like hot cakes. I thought the 777-300ER was Plenty.

[@nickolliver3021]

@@PInk77W1 me too im a huge fan of 777x 777-9 is the wrong plane at the wrong time it will come into use once half of the a380s globally retire. it sure will sell like hotcakes. 309 is a great start for orders. well apparently not :) it got better

[@dennistani1986]

None of the American airlines bought it either. I think 4 engine airliners like the B-747 and A380 are not viable for many airlines.

[@aviation1014]

2:53 why is there a American airlines bus?

[@rosskgilmour]

If air canada did order the A380 they no doubt would have ordered the highest density possible. I can see an 800 seat configuration. Oof

[@tallguy8452]

No surprise, most long haulers didn't bother either!

[@tallguy8452]

Frankly, I prefer to board smaller airplanes, so much easier to get off and on. Plus I also like smaller airports for the same reason.

[@royruddy3394]

The way they are going now they could just use a few Cessna 172s

[@ericrotsinger9729]

Let's face it the A 380 was as bad an idea as the Convair 880 but for different reasons.

[@ogjk]

Great video but Winterpeg isn't a major Canadian city?

[@international_airways4834]

Winnipeg*

[@mittelfruh]

@@international_airways4834 If you have to correct him, you're not a Canadian.

[@EliAviator]

They even don't hold a 747 anymore

[@smallstudiodesign]

Nice thumbnail ... who created that photoshopped graphic? Did you?

[@TonyM132]

Not just no Canadian airline... From Alaska and Canada all the way down to Argentina and Chile, no North or South American airline ever operated an A380. Although while we're at it, no airline in N or S America ever operated a 747-8I either. And at the time this video was posted, none had ever operated an A340-600 either (since then Conviasa of Venezuela acquired two in 2022). So why just talk about the A380 and Canada? You might as well have made this video about all three largest passenger quad-jets to hit the market after 747-400, and all of North & South America.

[@rulinghabs]

It just Canada bit North America and South America I believe

[@EEVEE-m8h]

A380 does not work for United: CFO

[@rscott2247]

Don't quote me on this, but I don't believe any American carriers have any in their fleets either ?

[@dss12]

Because A380 was a huge mistake for Airbus to even design?

[@dutran2981]

@Alexplaglowski Calgary can’t support a A380 because Calgary that have a A380 tow bar

[@kadenchang3360]

Hey Alex, nice co- I mean video

[@av8tor261]

They can't afford it and not that many Canadians fly to Moose Jaw...LOL

[@SlipFitGarage]

Same reason why no USA based airline ever bought the A380.... Math. Lol.

[@PInk77W1]

Only one Japanese ANA bought 3 at the very last moment Right before Covid. LoL

[@ajgamio]

There are no A380s flying for any North or South America airlines.

[@albecker2982]

Easy, not much traffic between Winnipeg and Timmins.

[@davemiller6055]

Like the Americans. They don't need it. And, like the Americans, they don't want an expensive inefficient plane that has limited airport compatibility and tricky maintenance. Money loser.

[@mpatmack77]

For American routes the A380 just doesn't make sense