Secondhand market may expand customer base for A380, says Airbus CEO

The looming market for inexpensive, secondhand Airbus Group SE A380 superjumbos could attract new airline customers for a plane that has struggled to win orders, the boss of the plane maker said Thursday. Airbus CE Fabrice Brégier said he expects the used A380 market to start emerging around 2020 when some of the first superjumbos to enter airline service are phased out by their operators. Singapore Airlines was the first airline to fly the A380 commercially in 2007. “[The secondhand market] I believe it will be a good opportunity for airlines that just cannot afford such a big and expensive aircraft. They will have a possibility to have it at least at half price,” Brégier said. None of the early operators have said when they would start phasing out their early planes. Brégier said buyers of used superjumbos “will make tons of money because it will be by far the most competitive [aircraft].”<br/>