30% cheaper, it will be possible for Reunionnese through Reunionnese’s work. Yesterday, these Réunionnese that have been the event of the Dubai International Exhibition. It is indeed a reunionnese company that is the first to announce an order for Airbus A380s this year, and it is a very special version that will be delivered.

Indeed, the two aircrafts will be operated by a subsidiary of Air Austral; there will have only a single class. Thus, they will carry more than 800 passengers instead of the usual 525-535, and allow passengers to qualify for fares 30% cheaper.

The origin of this project is a challenge, the "continuité territoriale". As reiterated last week Gerard Etheve, CEO of Air Austral, the Airbus A380 is not only an airplane which allows these passengers to take showers on board, but it is also a tool capable of producing airline low cost tickets. Because the A380 is able to carry over 800 passengers in a single class, and because it features the latest technology, the Airbus A380 operating the lowest cost per passenger. For example, fuel consumption is less than 3 liters per 100 kilometers per passenger.

30% cheaper

This project meets the definition of partnership: all parties are progressing. Air Austral is progressing, as these aircrafts will help strengthen the company by opening more our island on the world. Airbus is progressing well because it now has in its catalog a model that may offer tickets 30% cheaper.

It is through this that the model ordered by Air Austral will reduce prices by 30%, which opens a new stage in the democratization of air travel. This project will be definitely real with the delivery of the first plane, by the beginning of 2014. With the commissioning of the second aircraft before the end of 2014, passengers will fly daily from La Reunion on board of A380.

Planes producing cheap tickets will burst traffic

Already, it appears that the solution proposed by Air Austral interests other countries. In addition to two aircrafts ordered, an option has been taken on two other A380s. According to AFP, Gerard Etheve gave the following explanation: "The two aircrafts will be optional for either service or the Caribbean where the traffic would grow at Reunion Island. We are confident that planes producing cheap tickets will burst traffic".

It should be noted that according to Airbus forecasts, 1729 jumbo jets could be delivered over the next 20 years, including 771 in Asia-Oceania, where are living the most populous nation. The demand for air travel will increase, and the project resulting from the partnership between Air Austral and Airbus responds to countries with high population density, and that purchasing power is a concern as essential to Reunion Island.

Manuel Marchal