Lufthansa seeks nod for A-380

Frankfurt: German aviation authorities last week formally sought clearance from their Indian counterparts to fly the A-380 to Delhi possibly from 2010-end. Lufthansa expects to get about three of the ordered 15 super jumbos next year and has tentatively slotted them to fly on the US-Frankfurt-Far-East routes but is also eyeing Delhi as a possible destination.
“Delhi and Mumbai are huge markets and A-380 would be perfect for these places. Since Mumbai may not be ready and Delhi will get a terminal for A-380 by summer, it would certainly be a serious option to be considered for next winter,” said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, Lufthansa board member. The German airline could become the first to fly the A-380 in India as others like Emirates and Singapore Airlines which use this plane, don’t have any India specific plans for the ‘big bird’.
The company running Frankfurt airport — Fraport — has made it costlier for airlines who use old fuel guzzling, polluting and noisy planes, to the airport. “We have linked landing fee with nitrogen oxides and noise emitted by planes. That’s why we don’t see old planes too often here,” said Stefan Schulte, CEO, Fraport.
21/12/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2009, Foreign Dec 2009, New Dec 2009