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> The A380’s size has become its disadvantage as airlines prefer relatively smaller planes such as the Airbus A350 and rival Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner that can fly nonstop to their ultimate destinations, bypassing major hubs such as London Heathrow and Singapore’s Changi Airport.

(Range seems odd to me as a factor, as Wikipedia thinks the Dreamliner and the A380 have the same max range.)

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The range is important because historically, small jets had comparatively short ranges. The pattern used to be to use small jets as feeders to major hubs. The large jets would fly between the major hubs. Now, with small jets having greater range, you can send flights direct bypassing the major hub. There is not enough traffic on the route to warrant a large jet, however, so smaller jets with the same range are preferred.

Presumably doing so frees up landing slots at the major hubs and saves on expensive landing fees and operating costs at those larger airports.

The problem with an A380/jumbojet is that it's hard to fill up with passengers. Any jumbo flight has to be between two major end destinations or between two transit points. Since direct flights are replacing flights via transit points the market for A380s is shrinking.

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