Airbus A380

China Southern Airlines has sent its first pair of Airbus A380s to Victorville Airport in southern California, marking the beginning of the end for China’s only superjumbo fleet.

With British Airways resuming long-haul Airbus A380 service and Qatar Airways ‘reluctantly’ preparing to welcome back the aircraft, Routes looks at the latest operations of the superjumbo.

The carrier is being forced to bring some its extra-large aircraft back into service because of a safety issue that has grounded 19 A350s.

Airbus overall lost multiple billions on a program that it once hoped would help it take over the lead from Boeing in commercial aviation. While that success was achieved anyway, the A380 only made it much harder.

The opening of US borders to vaccinated passengers prompted the move by BA.

The carrier is expanding its UK network to six gateways and upping the number of Airbus A380 routes operating from 16 to 27.

Routes looks at the current operations for Emirates, the World Routes 2021 attendee which this week announced frequency increases to several destinations in the US.

The world’s largest A380 operator has been using the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the route.

The service increases to Russia and Saudi Arabia follow additions made to the airline’s South Africa network.

Routes rounds-up the latest new route announcements, as well as services returning to carriers' networks.

Destinations with high vaccination rates are an initial focus, while Australia’s flag-carrier is evaluating whether to operate scheduled service between London Heathrow and Darwin.

The airline's full-year 2021 capacity will be just 15-20% of 2019 levels.

The carrier plans to begin accepting Dubai-bound passengers from three countries, as well as adding double-daily Airbus A380 service to Jordan during July and August.

All Nippon Airway's Airbus A380s have been absent from scheduled service since March 2020.

British Airways plans to keep the Airbus A380 in its fleet and still sees an important role for the type in its network as the airline emerges from the COVID-19 crisis.

Alan Joyce hopes to progress Qantas’ ultra-long-haul plans over the next 12 months—and he believes the airline’s Airbus A380 fleet will fly again.

Given the massive financial losses at many European hubs as a result of COVID-19, Vienna Airport (VIE) got off relatively lightly in announcing a loss of €76 million ($90 million) for 2020.

Lufthansa Group plans to phase out eight long-haul aircraft types over the next few years and sees no prospect of returning the Airbus A380 or A340-600 back to service.

The airline had previously hoped to start long-haul international flying in July.

Qatar Airways plans to permanently retire half of its Airbus A380s, according to CEO Akbar Al Baker.

Emirates Airline launched scheduled premium economy class services on Jan. 4 between Dubai (DXB) and London Heathrow (LHR) aboard its recently delivered Airbus A380.

An Air France crew that spent 17 hours on the ground with 497 passengers after a diversion to Atlantic Canada has lessons to apply in similar predicaments.

Emirates Airline has taken delivery of one Airbus A380 from the Airbus facility at Hamburg Finkenwerder and plans to add a further two of the type before the end of the month.

Emirates Airline will expand service to the UK over the coming weeks following the establishment of an air corridor between the UK and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Dubai-based airline said increased demand has prompted an expansion of its UK flight schedule.