Latest storage data from Cirium reveals that just 2% of the A380s and less than 10% of Boeing 747s are currently flying
The latest airliner storage data from Cirium reveals that just 2% of the Airbus A380 and under 10% of the Boeing 747 passenger fleets are currently flying, amid the mass groundings implemented by airlines across the globe.
Cirium fleets data shows that as of 15 April the total number of Airbus and Boeing passenger aircraft in operation with airlines stood at 7,635, as the inactive fleet ballooned up to almost 14,400 aircraft. Of current types, the data reveals that the smallest active fleet, as a proportion of the overall count, is the A380, with just four of the 239 aircraft with airlines operational – or 1.7%.
According to Cirium, airlines still operating A380s as of mid-April were China Southern Airlines, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways.
Mainline airliner fleet status | ||
---|---|---|
Narrowbody | Active fleet | Proportion* |
757 | 71 | 18.2% |
737-300/400/500 | 143 | 24.2% |
MD-80/90 | 91 | 28.4% |
DC-9 | 2 | 33.3% |
A320ceo family | 2,407 | 33.4% |
737-100/200 | 11 | 35.5% |
A320neo family | 508 | 39.9% |
A220 | 53 | 44.9% |
737NG | 2,924 | 45.2% |
717 | 68 | 45.9% |
Widebody | ||
A380 | 4 | 1.7% |
747 | 17 | 9.5% |
A340 | 27 | 15.4% |
767 | 90 | 19.7% |
A330 | 269 | 20.6% |
A300/A310 | 15 | 31.3% |
777 | 445 | 33.2% |
A350 | 131 | 36.3% |
787 | 358 | 37.4% |
*Proportion of total fleet | ||
Total stored fleet = 22,013 | ||
Airbus/Boeing passenger aircraft (commercial operators) | ||
Note: Excludes types where entire commercial passenger | ||
fleet is grounded (727, 737 Max, DC-10, L-1011) | ||
Source: Cirium fleets data (15 April 2020) |
The second lowest widebody operating fleet is the 747, with just 17 aircraft flying – or 9.5% of the fleet in mid-April. Lufthansa is the main operator, while Air China, British Airways and Wamos Air also still have aircraft in service.
Unsurprisingly, the best performing widebodies are the latest generation types, the A350 and 787, with 36.3% and 37.4% of their respective fleets still active.
From a narrowbody perspective, the smallest operating fleet is that of the 757, with just 18% in service (71 aircraft). Only a third of the A320ceo-family fleet is flying, compared with two-fifths of the A320neo fleet.
Perhaps it is a factor of the entire 737 Max fleet having been grounded prior to the coronavirus pandemic that the 737NG active fleet is at over 45%. Totalling more than 2,900 aircraft, it is the largest single fleet by type that is currently in service. The combined tally of the A320ceo/neo is at a similar level.