JetBlue eyes A320 winglet retrofit

I'd imagine the Airbus PR guys came up with Sharklets. They actually have some pretty significant differences when compared to a traditional winglet so they aren't exactly the same thing. Now as for the A380, it actually operates better without winglets. Winglets add weight and are best suited to aircraft with shorter wingspans. The A380's wings are massive due to its size, therefore winglets could actually be a liability. There's also a question of cost, as winglets are surprisingly expensive. It can cost over $2 million to retrofit a single aircraft with a set of winglets, largely due to the fuel savings incurred over that aircraft's lifespan. Airbus wants a cut of that too.