The airplane Airbus has announced plans to cease of its A380 aircraft. The iconic A380 is the world's largest passenger airplane and has been in for 12 years. When it was launched, it was heralded as the of aviation. However, changes in the of passengers mean the of giant, four-engine passenger planes are over. Airbus decided to call a halt to production of the 544-seat A380 due to than expected sales. The nail in the was when the Dubai-based Emirates Airline cut its A380 by 39 planes. Airbus said it would stop building the A380 in 2021. This will result in job losses at companies linked to the plane's manufacture.
The A380 embarked on its flight in April 2005 to great . Then British Prime Minister Tony Blair called the jet a "symbol of economic ". His Spanish counterpart called the "the realization of a dream". The plane was designed to combat at airports by reducing the number of planes needed in the skies. However, booming air travel has generated a higher demand for twin-engine planes that can fly to where people want to travel. Giant, four-engine jets require passengers to transit at hub airports. An Emirates spokesperson said the A380 was a "passenger magnet" that was misunderstood and badly marketed by other airlines.