Incredible new aircraft set to replace the 'world's largest plane' on popular route

A Boeing 777X airplane (Image: Getty Images)

The Airbus A380 is regarded by many as the world's largest aeroplane, but with its numbers dwindling towards extinction, airlines are being forced into a decision to find a replacement — and it looks like they've done just that. Numbers started to fall during the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2021 when the aircraft was discontinued in what was a depressing finale for the beloved double-decker.

Emirates, however, have been doing their utmost to keep it in operation. They currently house over 100 of the aircraft in its stables, accounting for half of the total production run. The airline has even gone towards purchasing them second-hand from carriers who had retired theirs due to skyrocketing operating costs. Dubai International Airport even introduced sky-high jet bridges to account for the A380's sheer size, yet despite calls on Airbus to rubber stamp the production of a new model, they are yet to pull the trigger.

It turns out the largest twinjet ever made, the Boeing 777X, has been lined up as the perfect replacement.

Though it will not seat as many passengers as the A380, or boast a similar spectacular second-deck, the plane is expected to meet the demand for efficiency.

The 777X will not enter service until 2027, but Simple Flying described the remarkable aircraft as a "game changer" for the commercial aviation industry.

It brings a passenger capacity close to the 747-8 and has fewer and less complex maintenance needs, offering a cheaper and more cost-effective alternative.

Inside, however, is said to promise true luxury flying with modern cabin architecture that allows for flexibility, should the demand for premium or economy shift.

An Airbus A380 passenger jet, operated by Emirates, takes off from Dubai International Airport (Image: Getty Images)

The new Boeing is designed to seat a whopping 400 to 415 passengers compared to the A380's 500 to 600.

It will also have the largest turbofan engines ever installed on a commercial plane in history, the GE9X powerplants which are cited as a revolution in commercial aircraft technology.

Luke Diaz from Simple Flying wrote: "There’s no true replacement for the Airbus A380, which is more than just the biggest airliner to ever take to the skies.

"It is an icon and a symbol of ingenuity, daring, size, and luxury. The colossal plane will never really be replaced by a smaller twinjet, but it can be retired with the assurance that another great plane is ready to take up the mantle."