Airbus' head of A380 product marketing, Richard Carcaillet, was in Sydney this week to share all the latest on the big Airbus.

Amongst the highlights:

* With the May delivery of Korean Air's first A380 the number of aircraft in operation is now 49.

* South Korea's Asiana (six) and Japan's third largest carrier Skymark (four) are the two latest customers for the A380, both having placed orders this year.

* Korean Air and China Southern have become new operators in 2011.

* The new KAL aircrat has the lowest seat count on an A380 so far, with 407 seats; the upper deck is all business class.

* Singapore Airline's 12th A380, to be delivered shortly, will also have an all-J upper deck and a total of 409 seats.

* Launch operator SIA has experienced an average load factor of 83 per cent since operations began in October 2007.

* The A380 will be flying to seven North American destinations this northern summer, putting pressure on US carriers to consider the aircraft.

* The A380 is now flying to 11 of the top 15 international airports.

* Airbus is continuing to look at enhancements for the A380, including weight savings and incremental engine improvements, but "there is no pressing need to do anything to the aircraft".

* The freighter version remains part of the concept but is not imminent.

* Similarly, a stetch version of the A380 remains on the books, but because of a sequence of events including 9/11 and the GFC it has been "moved to the right".