Thai Airways to use A380s on Heathrow flights

Thai Airways has confirmed that it will operate Airbus A380 planes on flights from London Heathrow Airport.

The national carrier confirmed its purchase of six of the superjumbos, all of which are expected to be used on its flagship route to capital city Bangkok.

Singapore Airlines already flies the massive passenger planes into Heathrow - and Dubai-based Emirates has announced plans to begin doing so later this year.

Two of the A380s being used on the Heathrow to Bangkok route will fly exclusively between the capital cities, while the four remaining jets will also be deployed on other routes.

Precise details about their cabin configuration have yet to be released, but other carriers' designs include premium features such as in-flight showers and suites with double beds.

Thai Airways presently run two daily services from London Heathrow to Bangkok, departing at 12.30pm and 9.30pm.

-- cheapflights.co.uk 2008-08-10

They are not expecting delivery untill 2011 and I seriously doubt that they will be accepting delivery.

they will have to drop the airfare to fill them up - so some good news

Unless fuel prices drop dramatically in the near future, even the (supposedly) more fuel efficient 380s will be costly ventures.

I think the extra 4 aircraft order will probably end up being used as spares for the times when they smack one up getting in in/out of the terminal (like they did when the first 380 was here on its world tour).

First (of six) aircraft is to be delivered in September, 2010. High capacity routes, currently served by two or more dailies seem like the best application: LHR, FRA, SYD, NRT, but then you can't replace two 747 dailies with a single A380 so not sure what might happen in 2+ years?