Wings Of Might

Tracing the evolution of the A380 in India’s aviation industry

- Akanksha Maker

The A380 — the largest passenger airliner in the world — landed for the first time in New Delhi, India on May 6, 2007, after a nine-hour flight from Toulouse. The double-decker dramatically encircled twice over Indira Gandhi International Airport as spectators cheered in unison. Airbus stirred sufficient curiosity with this colossal aircraft that exceeded the breadth of Delhi’s runway. To make provisions for its arrival, the grass beside the runways had to be trimmed.

The ceremony at the New Delhi airport held to mark the occasion was addressed by the chairman of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, Vijay Mallya and the current chief operating officer (customers) at Airbus, John Leahy. This was also when Leahy acknowledged the order of five A380s and five A350s by the former. Air India was next to show interest in this aircraft type in 2009, as the national carrier aspired to meet its anticipated rise in demand in 2012.

What followed was a series of unfortunate events that deterred the official arrival of the A380 in the Indian aviation industry. Airbus cancelled its order with Kingfisher Airlines after the airline shut shop due to monumental losses in October 2012. Air India’s A380 order didn’t materialise either as it focussed on inducting more narrow-bodied aircraft to fly domestic routes instead. Further, the Ministry of Civil Aviation placed an indefinite ban on international airlines flying their A380s in India. The prohibition was the result of concerns that foreign airlines could grab a high share of international traffic with their massive A380s, hurting state-run Air India. The lack of infrastructure at airports to handle the aircraft was another cause for the ban.