China Southern Airlines has started its retirement of its five Airbus A380s.
Quietly B-6136 and B-6137 have been flown to Victorville, CA for storage and disposal.
The other three aircraft should be removed from service by the end of 2022.
China Southern was the lone A380 operator in China.
Top Copyright Photo: China Southern Airlines Airbus A380-841 B-6140 (msn 120) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 956910.
China Southern Airlines aircraft slide show:
China Southern Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Asiana Airlines is joining other carriers in its decision to bring back its Airbus A380s.
The airline will operate the A380 from Seoul to both Los Angeles and Frankfurt starting in March 2022.
Top Copyright Photo: Asiana Airlines Airbus A380-841 HL7634 (msn 179) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 956290.
Asiana Airlines aircraft slide show:
Asiana Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
British Airways is initially bringing back four of its Airbus A380s. The airline has made this announcement:
British Airways is set to welcome back its first Airbus A380 aircraft in November and operate its biggest schedule since March 2020, with additional services to cities across the globe, including the US.
(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)
British Airways’ A380 will initially operate to a number of short-haul destinations to allow for crew service familiarization in November, shortly followed by operating to Miami and Los Angeles in the US, as well as Dubai in December.
News that the airline’s A380 aircraft is re-joining its fleet follows the announcement that vaccinated Brits will be able to travel to the United States from November. The airline is set to fly to 23 US airports this winter* with up to 246 flights a week, more than any other transatlantic carrier.
Across its US network, British Airways will be increasing the number of flights it operates with services to city destinations including New York, which will initially be increasing to five a day, followed by eight in December. The airline will also be operating double-daily services to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Miami and Toronto, as well as daily services to Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle/Tacoma, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and Vancouver
In addition to frequency increases, in October and November British Airways will restart services to Austin, Orlando, Tampa, San Diego, Las Vegas and Baltimore/Washington **. In December the airline will also start flying to Nashville and New Orleans once again, which both proved to be a hit with customers when they first launched.
Closer to home, British Airways has increased flights to a number of short-haul destinations by adding 13,000 more seats to holiday hot spots for families to get away this October. Popular leisure destinations Marrakech and Dalaman will appear on flight schedules again in time for October half-term, and brand-new services to the Turkish resort of Antalya will also be launching. Looking ahead to the winter, British Airways will be restarting a number of ski destinations including Innsbruck, Grenoble and Salzburg from December.
To help customers get away for some much-needed summer sun this Christmas, British Airways is extending its Caribbean program with 12 services a week to Barbados and nine each to Antigua and St Lucia, which will be split across Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Flights to popular luxury Indian Ocean destinations, Maldives and Mauritius, will also be increasing to 10 and six per week over the Christmas period.
Elsewhere across its short-haul network British Airways will be increasing flights year-round to key European cities with 48 weekly services to Amsterdam, 33 to Geneva, 35 to Dublin, 28 to Milan and 21 to Berlin, Paris and Rome.
British Airways’ subsidiary BA City Flyer, is expected to operate a schedule of 43 flights a week to Edinburgh, 33 to Dublin, 25 to Glasgow, 18 to Belfast, 16 to Amsterdam, 15 to Rotterdam, 15 to Berlin, 12 to Frankfurt, 12 to Dusseldorf and 11 to Zurich. The airline is also set to launch a new route from Belfast to Birmingham, as well as new ski destination Salzburg, from London City and Southampton.
To coincide with the increase in services as the world re-opens, the airline’s lounges are also welcoming customers back. In September customers were invited to enjoy British Airways’ Concorde Room in London and New York. Lounges in Chicago, Washington, San Francisco and Houston are expected to open this week.
Customers using exclusive lounges can benefit from exciting new developments, such as the introduction of ‘Your Menu’ – a new initiative developed in the last few months to allow customers to order food and drink directly to their seat by simply scanning a QR code on their mobile device.
*Planned flights for December departing from Heathrow
**Route launch dates are subject to move, depending on the dates that the US borders reopen
Top Copyright Photo: British Airways Airbus A380-841 G-XLED (msn 144) LHR (SPA). Image: 940743.
British Airways aircraft slide show (Airbus):
Malaysia Airlines has made the decision to sell its six Airbus A380s.
Malaysia Airlines CEO Izham Ismail announced the decision with this short statement;
“We’re currently exploring ways of disposing the aircraft. We’re cognizant of the challenges of how to sell the aircraft but we’re exploring ways.”
Currently the aircraft are stored. The current market cannot support the large aircraft.
The airline recently flew its flagship seasonally on flights from its Kuala Lumpur hub and destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne, Seoul and Tokyo.
Previously it used the type to fly to London and Paris.
Previously the airline was unable to find any customers to buy the aircraft.
Top Copyright Photo: Malaysia Airlines Airbus A380-841 9M-MNB (msn 081) LHR (SPA). Image: 935726.
Malaysia Airlines aircraft slide show:
Hi Fly is planning the phase out of it’s Airbus A380 at the end of the lease term later this year, following almost three years of successful operations worldwide. The decision to not extend the initial agreed lease period came as a consequence of the covid-19 pandemic, that drastically reduced the demand for very large aircraft.
Hi Fly belongs to the very exclusive club of only 15 airlines to ever operate the A380, the largest and most advanced aircraft of all times. This aircraft was a testimony to how far human being can go in developing something so extraordinary.
Above all, the iconic 9H-MIP “Save the Coral Reefs” was inspiring, and carried this responsible message to hundreds of millions of people in the four corners of the world.
The Airbus A380 will be replaced in the Hi Fly fleet by additional Airbus A330’s, a smaller and more adequate aircraft for current market conditions.
If our A380 has touched you as it has touched us, for all the work and raising awareness all over the world… If you have seen it, if it was part of your history somehow, please show us your love.
Send us your tribute message to a380tribute@hifly.aero and share your 9H-MIP memories with stories, photos, collage, artwork, paint-stained hands… the sky is literally the limit!
All messages will be showcased on the A380 mural (at our Headquarters in Lisbon) until the last day of this iconic aircraft at Hi Fly service, then they will be placed inside a box and fly onboard 9H-MIP on its final lap with us.
Airbus A380 joined Hi Fly’s fleet in 2018.
Hi Fly was the 4th European airline and the 14th global operator to fly this magnificent aircraft, becoming also the first wet leasing airline operating an A380 and inaugurating its second hand market.
The iconic model aligned perfectly with the company’s sustainability concern, being able to carry more people with less impact on the environment as it combined mass passenger transportation with efficient technologies, resulting in a lower carbon footprint per passenger and per kilometer.
The Hi Fly A380 supported Mirpuri Foundation’s “Save the Coral Reefs” campaign and carried the message across the five continents, raising awareness for an unprecedented fight to stop the destruction of our oceans. The livery was comprised of one side painted in dark blue displaying destroyed corals, contrasting with a light blue on the other side representing a pristine ocean, with images of colorful and healthy marine life.
This campaign was also showcased for more than 400,000 visitors at the famous Farnborough Air Show 2018 and Paris Air Show 2019.
The “Save the Coral Reefs” aircraft was a record breaker:
– Was the first A380 to connect London to New York
– Operated the longest nonstop domestic flight in the world, from St. Denis to Paris
– It’s Marketing campaign received a double award from the magazine Global Transport Finance
– Was the first to land in Wuhan, China, following the coronavirus outbreak
– Completed an around the world humanitarian mission which lasted four days, starting and ending in Beja, Portugal. Covered 31047 km in a flight time of 33 hours and 45 minutes with stops in Tianjin and Santo Domingo.
Hi Fly’s A380 was the first to be converted to cargo version, removing economy seats to meet the high demands during covid-19 crisis. Was able to carry 68 tons and offered 340m3 of volume capacity. Plus, it could fly direct for over 17 hours. This combination of volume, payload and range made it unique for cargo transportation.
The aircraft made a show with a fly-by over Lisbon Airport and also Algarve, where Locals and beach vacationers were able to spot the king of the skies, drawing attention to its environmental message “Save the Coral Reefs” A380 was one of the most photographed and loved by spotters all over the world.
And was the first A380 to land in:
At Hi Fly service, the aircraft visited 53 different airports, in 33 countries and 4 continents.
Of the 15 current A380 operators in the world, Hi Fly was the first airline in Europe and second worldwide in number of landing destinations. This accomplishment was achieved in only two years.
Video:
Top Copyright Photo: Hifly (Malta) Airbus A380-841 9H-MIP (msn 006) (Mirpuri Foundation) FAB (Antony J. Best). Image: 942855.
Hi Fly aircraft slide show:
Lufthansa Group made this announcement:
The Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG does not expect the aviation industry to return to pre-coronavirus crisis levels very quickly. According to its assessment, it will take months until the global travel restrictions are completely lifted and years until the worldwide demand for air travel returns to pre-crisis levels. Based on this evaluation, today the Executive Board has decided on extensive measures to reduce the capacity of flight operations and administration long term.
The decisions taken will affect almost all flight operations of the Lufthansa Group.
Above Copyright Photo: Lufthansa Airbus A380-841 D-AIMG (msn 069) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 946766.
At Lufthansa, six Airbus A380s and seven A340-600s as well as five Boeing 747-400s will be permanently decommissioned. In addition, eleven Airbus A320s will be withdrawn from short-haul operations.
The six A380s were already scheduled for sale to Airbus in 2022. The decision to phase out seven A340-600s and five Boeing 747-400s was taken based on the environmental as well as economic disadvantages of these aircraft types. With this decision, Lufthansa will be reducing capacity at its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.
Furthermore, Lufthansa Cityline will also withdraw three Airbus A340-300 aircraft from service. Since 2015, the regional carrier has been operating flights to long-haul tourist destinations for Lufthansa.
Eurowings will also be reducing the number of its aircraft. In the short-haul segment, an additional ten Airbus A320s are planned to be phased out.
Eurowings long-haul business which is run under the commercial responsibility of Lufthansa, will also be reduced.
In addition, the implementation of Eurowings objective of bundling flight operations into only one unit, which was defined before the crisis, will now be accelerated. Germanwings flight operations will be discontinued. All options resulting from this are to be discussed with the respective unions.
The restructuring programs already initiated at Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines will be further intensified due to the coronavirus crisis. Among other things, both companies are working on reducing their fleets. SWISS International Air Lines will also adjust its fleet size by delaying deliveries of new short haul aircraft and consider early phase-outs of older aircraft.
In addition, the Lufthansa Group airlines have already terminated almost all wet lease agreements with other airlines.
The aim remains the same for all employees affected by the restructuring measures: to offer as many people as possible continued employment within the Lufthansa Group. Therefore, talks with unions and workers councils are to be arranged quickly to discuss, among other things, new employment models in order to keep as many jobs as possible.
Lufthansa aircraft slide show:
British Airways made this announcement:
British Airways is joining the response against Covid-19 with a company-wide taskforce who will bring their skills and expertise to communities across the UK to help the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
The current reduction in the number of flights means British Airways is in the position of having thousands of cabin and flight crew with more time available and an appetite to volunteer. Their advanced first aid qualifications, combined with their natural passion for looking after people, means that they can bring both technical training and natural kindness to a range of desperately needed roles for a range of organisations, including the NHS.
Other teams in the airline specialise in the logistics that sit behind getting 800 flights a day to 200 destinations around the world and those skills can also benefit the community-at-large.
Louise Evans, British Airways’ Director of External Communications and Sustainability, said: “We’ve had an overwhelming response to our request for volunteers from across British Airways to help in the community fight against coronavirus.
“We’re part of the fabric of Britain and we want to play our role in these unprecedented times. Thanks to the nature of our business, we can contribute a unique set of skills from advanced first aid training, to experience caring for and reassuring people to managing complex logistics – all of which can deliver real care within the community.”
The airline has been in talks with a number of organisations in order to deploy its volunteers most usefully. These include the NHS via their Helpforce team, which organises volunteers for the NHS and could involve working at the Nightingale hospitals being set up in London, Manchester and Birmingham as well as transporting patients and NHS workers.
British Airways is also pairing volunteers who have first aid training and clinical skills with St John Ambulance to support their emergency response units within the community. Similarly, members from that same highly skilled crew community can apply to volunteer with the London Ambulance Service to take 999 or 111 calls, triaging the caller and placing them in a clinical queue to speak to a qualified medical professional.
The airline already has a partnership with the British Red Crossproviding vital support for their UK response work and will be encouraging more colleagues to sign up to their Community Reserve Volunteer network to provide practical assistance in local communities. Right now, the British Red Cross is mobilising volunteers across the UK to support the response to Covid-19 by, for example, helping out at local foodbanks and supporting NHS hospitals.
Sadly, many older people who are self-isolating are coming into even less contact with their community than normal, leading to a spike in both physical and emotional support being required. Volunteers from around the airline will be encouraged to reach out to older and more vulnerable people with help, for example via Age UK, be that collecting a prescription, dropping-off food or helping to combat loneliness with a daily phone call for a chat.
The airline also has ongoing relationships with a number of food bank providers, including The Trussell Trust where volunteering duties for staff could include sorting and packing food donations, collecting supplies from supermarkets and delivering food to people in greatest need.
British Airways is also donating its on board wash bags, socks and blankets to various NHS Trusts and continues to work with agency partners to offer help where it is most needed. And flying crew from British Airways and other airlines have set up Project Wingman at the Whittington Hospital in North London, where NHS workers are welcomed into a mini first class lounge for a cup of tea and a chat during or after a busy shift.
Money that British Airways’ customers and colleagues have raised through Flying Start, the airline’s partnership with Comic Relief, is also being used towards a covid-19 response, which is enabling Comic Relief to reach out across their network to communities hardest hit and most in need, such as those who are experiencing domestic violence or homelessness.
Further afield, the airline has been collaborating with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to fly people home to their friends and families before borders close and its sister company, IAG Cargo, has been working around the clock to ship essential freight including food and medicines across the globe to communities in need.
In other news, BA is sending six of its Airbus A380s (G-XLEA, G-XLEC, G-XLEF, G-XLEI, G-XLEJ and G-XLEL) to storage in Chateauroux, France this week.
Top Copyright Photo: British Airways Airbus A380-841 G-XLEB (msn 121) LHR (SPA). Image: 940465.
British Airways aircraft slide show (Airbus):
Lufthansa Group has made this announcement:
Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the spread of Covid-19 and the resulting drastic decline in bookings as well as numerous flight cancellations Lufthansa Group decided to reduce the flight capacity on offer even more than previously planned. Depending on the further development of demand, capacity is to be reduced by up to 50 per cent in the coming weeks. These capacity adjustments apply to all passenger airlines in the Lufthansa Group.
Copyright Photo: Lufthansa Airbus A380-841 D-AIMB (msn 041) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 946668.
In addition, the extent to which the entire Airbus A380 fleet (14 aircraft) can be temporarily taken out of service in Frankfurt and Munich is currently being examined.
This measure is designed to reduce the financial consequences of the slump in demand. It complements the planned savings actions in the area of personnel, in material costs and project budgets, and other liquidity measures. In addition to an immediate hiring freeze, Lufthansa Group has already offered its employees the use of voluntary individual personnel measures in recent weeks. These include the granting of unpaid leave and bringing forward annual leave. The company is in talks with its operating partners and trade unions in order to avoid dismissals – among other measures – by means various part-time models, including probationary periods.
It is not yet possible to estimate the burden on earnings to be expected from current developments. The Group will publish key financial figures at the annual press conference on March 19, 2020.
Lufthansa aircraft slide show:
Starting in Summer 2020, Lufthansa will be taking off from Munich with two additional Airbus A380 aircraft. This will increase the Munich A380 fleet to a total of seven aircraft, with the remaining seven stationed in Frankfurt. Soon, Lufthansa passengers can experience the world’s largest commercial aircraft on five routes from Munich, including the addition of two new destinations served by the double decker. For the first time, Lufthansa will be operating the A380 to Boston and serving San Francisco with an A380 year-round. In addition to these routes, Los Angeles, Beijing and Shanghai are also on Munich’s A380 flight schedule for summer 2020.
Above Photo: Lufthansa.
“Since last March, the A380 has been operating very successfully from Munich. A few weeks ago, we welcomed the millionth A380 passenger on board in Munich. Our customers and our crews love the A380 experience. The flagship of our fleet is perfect for our 5-Star hub Munich. We will continue growing where quality and costs go hand in hand,” says Harry Hohmeister, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
Currently, Lufthansa operates the Airbus A380 from Munich to Los Angeles, Beijing and Hong Kong. In the upcoming 2019/2020 Winter Schedule, the giant Airbus will operate to San Francisco, Miami and Hong Kong (until December 2019) as well as Shanghai (as of January 2020).
Above photo: Lufthansa.
The Airbus A380 has been the flagship of Lufthansa since 2010, with a fleet of 14 aircraft. As of summer 2020, seven will be stationed in Munich and seven in Frankfurt. The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft – 24 meters high and almost 73 meters long. Thanks to a high proportion of composite materials, the A380 is 15 tons lighter and has a 50 percent lower noise level than comparable long-haul aircraft. Moreover, the A380 flies in and out of airports, at the same speed of an A320. All of these characteristics contribute to the reduction of aircraft noise in airport surrounding areas.
The A380 has 33 percent lower fuel consumption and correspondingly lower CO2 emissions than aircraft of the previous generation.
Top Copyright Photo: Lufthansa Airbus A380-841 D-AIMG (msn 069) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 945768.
Lufthansa aircraft slide show:
ANA – All Nippon Airways will debut its “Flying Honu” Airbus A380 service to Hawaii on May 24. The airline has unveiled some features of the new service. ANA has also released the early schedule until all three A380s are delivered.
From ANA:
The Hawaiian word “honu” is a term of endearment used towards the sea turtle,
and reflects the widespread love that the Hawaiian people feel for this animal.
It is believed to be a sacred creature in Hawaii, and those who manage to catch a glimpse of one are said to be blessed with good fortune and prosperity.
We decided to name these special liveries FLYING HONU (meaning “flying sea turtle”)
in the hope that our customers traveling to Hawaii on these aircraft will also be blessed with good fortune.
Our 3 FLYING HONU aircraft will be phased into service on the Tokyo-Honolulu route from spring 2019.
Inspired by the Hawaiian sky, ocean, and sunset respectively, each of these aircraft is truly unique and has its own facial expression and color scheme.
520 seats across two decks:
First Class:
Economy Class:
Schedule:
Above Copyright Photo: ANA (All Nippon Airways) Airbus A380-841 F-WWSH (JA381A) (msn 262) (Lani) TLS (Eurospot). Image: 945970.
ANA aircraft slide show:
Videos:
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