Qantas to fit more seats on its Airbus A380 by blocking two exit doors
By David Flynn, April 10 2018
Qantas plans to squeeze more passengers onto its Airbus A380 superjumbos – by blocking off a pair of emergency exit doors.
Airbus, which will oversee an upgrade of Qantas' twelve-strong superjumbo fleet from mid-2019, is promoting plans to "deactivate" the rear-most doors on the upper deck as part of its Cabin-Flex A380 layout for which Qantas will act as launch customer.
By disabling those doors "the space can be used for seats," an Airbus spokesman tells Australian Business Traveller, "allowing airlines to gain revenue-earning floor-space for extra seating without compromising on passenger comfort."
In the case of the Qantas Airbus A380s, this space at the rear of the upper deck is currently used for a small economy class cabin, with premium economy and then business class ahead of this.
Qantas says the revamped A380s will gain 25 more premium economy seats (of the same design as in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner) and lose 30 economy seats, with the 'mini-economy cabin' being replaced by an enlarged premium economy cabin.
Here's how the red-railed A380's revamped upper deck will look.
The souped-up superjumbos will also gain a larger 'cafe-style' lounge at the front of the upper deck...
... see the Skybed II business class seats replaced by the superior Boeing 787-style Business Suites...
... while the 14 first class suites are also in for a facelift.
Airbus maintains that disabling these rear exit doors will have no adverse impact on passenger evacuation speeds in the event of an emergency.
"The A380 certification for the number of passengers that can be evacuated is significantly higher than the current seating numbers, and the additional 11 seats from ‘closing’ door 3 would not make difference," the spokesman told Australian Business Traveller.
"There is still ample exit capacity. The total number of doors on the A380 are matched to the aircraft's maximum theoretical number of circa 800 passengers."
Approached by Australian Business Traveller, Qantas declined to offer additional comment on this subject.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Oct 2016
Total posts 37
Any word on an economy seat upgrade?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
See https://www.executivetraveller.com/qantas-to-upgrade-a380-business-class-seats-to-new-business-suites for some details (but also note, we tend not to cover economy on Australian Business Traveller as our focus is premium cabins).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2011
Total posts 359
I find this odd. Is it Australian Business "Class" Traveller? A lot of business travellers actually fly in Economy so would I am sure they would welcome news, reviews or updates in this area.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
The Australian 'business class traveller' is a sizeable premium market and it's the one we choose to write for, bracketed by premium economy below and first class above. There are plenty of websites providing coverage of economy, which is one reason we focus on the premium cabin classes as a way to differentiate AusBT and focus our resources to best effect.
30 Aug 2017
Total posts 32
Its good that you re-emphasised your focus. Because a great number of users here calling 787 a "nightmareliner" just because they do not like 3-3-3 config in Y.
19 Jan 2018
Total posts 87
Completely agree with David's points.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
The QANTAS news room (Aug 2017) has the details on this.New seat cushions and entertainment system.
20 May 2015
Total posts 579
Clearly Airbus put too many doors on the A380. We're seeing more door-deactivations/removals on the 777X and the A321LR as well.
23 May 2014
Total posts 118
The last set of doors on the upper deck are very close to the ones before it - so not worried about this. More worried about ever having to evacuate from any door on the A380 upper deck... that is a long way down...
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
I use it just for being in a different space. The self service bar there could be expanded a little.People who hang around the toilets chatting in groups could also use it and not be a nuisance to all and sundry.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1024
There is a standard on the amount of doors per passengers and the time it takes to off load in an emergency. I remember Ansett aka Air New Zealand using this as to the reason they didn't need all the emergency exit doors actually working
22 Aug 2013
Total posts 9
Another round of window seats without windows.
05 Apr 2017
Total posts 19
The Airbus claim "Airbus maintains that disabling these rear exit doors will have no adverse impact on passenger evacuation speeds in the event of an emergency." is clearly incorrect. The evacuation "speed" may still be comfortably better than the legal requirement, but blocking off doors will reduce the "speed" to some extent and give the crew less options to choose serviceable doors in the event of damaged/unopenable doors or fire etc.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1225
The additional doors were required for a high pax count upper deck. No airline currently uses the upper deck in such a config though HiFly may soon be the first.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
The max amount of passengers an aircraft type is certified to carry is based on the amount they can get out in 90 seconds through half the doors.
The A380 is certified for 868 passengers (330 on upper deck).
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 371
Given some passengers' insistence on putting on shoes or bringing backpacks or handbags with them, how realistic is the certification process? It needs to reflect reality - not some airy-fairy notion of completely cooperative passengers who don't muck around.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 184
The thought of having 800 plus on an A380 is a clostrophobic thought at best - lets hope Jetstar don't aquire QF's A380's when they're retired.
If QF wishes to install the extra PE seating at the rear of the upper deck and close off the doors, lets also hope they do the following - install windows in the walls where the doors were, and please increase the seat pitch given the failure of their PE product on their 787's. Time for some passenger comfort and consideration rather than the almightly bottom line.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jun 2017
Total posts 41
Here goes the amazing mini economy cabin... The PE new product isn't as promising as AJ suggested. If they made some changes to flaws in the reclining... now that would be a win.
QF
04 Apr 2014
Total posts 210
Perhaps they’ll give PE the pitch it needs to work with the new seats. Ah, no.
27 Aug 2015
Total posts 26
Has anyone ever experienced an evacuation?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 383
I'm sorry to see the mini economy cabin go. I always select a seat in this cabin and it's fantastic. Quick service, no queues for the toilets and a 2-4-2 seating layout which is great when travelling with my partner.
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 4
The Premium Y in the 787 sucks... just a useless seat... tray table and room... They should design new Y+ for the 380's!
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1225
They'd be better keeping the existing product rather than taking the terrible "revolutionary" design from the 789. There are lots of very good W class products out there such as the W class from AF 787s. Both VA and NZ also have a good product principally because they didn't skimp on pitch.
11 Apr 2018
Total posts 29
Yep , the PE section of the A 380 was the best in the fleet for me . Now it will be worse seats and less service I imagine .
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
Who does Qantas get to design its interiors? What a drab boring effort. This plain ‘RM Williams’ mentality of not changing or wearing anything else is getting boring where is the sophistication gone AJ. You haven’t won any awards that matter in years. QF isn’t even in the top 10 anymore?. Also, thank goodness the rear economy cabin is gone. Now the J class pax paying 9k for their tickets won’t have to wait for a Y+ pax to use the loo! They can have the rear two and J class get back their full 4. Is also fire the brainiac who removed the lab from the A330 to only have to put it back because it was a failed initiative.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
Going from 24 to 60 seats is a big jump indeed and then they will be more cramped. Does this mean a price drop in PE at some point. Supply and demand. Looking forward to more PE sales to fill the cabin and more upgrades from economy to sell last minute economy seats at high economy prices. Interesting business case.
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