Page 26 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2022 Online Magazine

from Singapore to Melbourne, and the return
© ETIHAD
service SQ228. SIA will also operate the A380
on SQ221 from Singapore to Sydney and the
return flight SQ232, instead of the A350-900.
From March 2023, the carrier will start a daily
service between Singapore and Hong Kong
SAR, using the A380. Singapore Airlines fleet
of 131 passenger aircraft is comprised of 23
777-300ERs, 12 A380s, 61 A350s, 15 787-10s,
7 737-800s and 13 737-8s.
Qantas currently operates its A380s on flights
from Sydney to Los Angeles and Sydney and
London via Singapore. The Australian carrier
returned two of its superjumbos to service in
April 2022, following strong demand for inter-
national travel, particularly on key routes to
pre-pandemic levels – with only 5,271 flights in November 2022 Los Angeles and London. The 485-seat A380
compared to 9,764 in November 2019. Flights on the A380 peaked is the only aircraft in the Qantas fleet that
had in August 2019, when 10,843 services operated, and reached offers a First Class cabin.
their lowest point in June 2020 when only 43 flights operated, the Qantas had originally planned to leave its
Cirium data revealed. 45 airports were slated to have an A380 ser- A380s in long term storage in the Californian
vice in November, which is still less than 62 airports with A380 desert until the end of 2023, before announc-
services in November 2019. ing that five A380s with upgraded cabins

Accelerated Deployment would return ahead of schedule. Qantas has
upgraded six of its A380s with refurbished
Emirates, the largest operator of the A380 has been accelerating cabins and an increased number of pre-
mium seats. The aircraft have a reconfigured
the deployment of its flagship A380 fleet to meet rapidly grow- Business Class cabin with brand-new seats in
ing demand for air travel. Emirates has deployed its A380 fleet 70 updated business suites, and an extended
to 37 global destinations in 25 countries, with plans to increase Premium Economy section with 60 brand-
this to 42 cities by March 2023. In December, the airline ramped new seats, up from 35, as well as refreshed
up its operations to Gatwick Airport with the addition of a third Economy and First cabins. The aircraft have
daily A380 flight and restarted operations to Auckland Airport also received a main deck refresh including
with the type. new carpet and curtains. Qantas’ remaining

Emirates has close to 80 A380s presently in active service and A380s will be refitted before they return to
67 of its A380s are slated to be part of the airline’s multi-billion service.
dollar cabin upgrade effort. All 67 A380s earmarked for the ret-
rofit programme are slated to be back in service by May 2024.
The first A380 (EK928) entered retrofit on 1 November at the Qantas is working to accelerate the return
Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai and the second aircraft of its A380s to service and a sixth aircraft is
(A6-EUW) began in its retrofit on 2 December. slated arrive in Australia before the end of

The aircraft will receive a full cabin interior upgrade along with calendar year 2022. Qantas’ remaining four
A380s expected to return to service by early
the installation of the airline’s latest Premium Economy seats. 2024.
All carpets and floorings throughout the aircraft cabins will be
replaced before the refurbished seats are re-installed. Emirates
A380 Premium Economy cabin will have 56 seats in a 2-4-2 cabin
layout after the retrofit.

In November, Singapore Airlines announced it would increase
Airbus A380 services to Australia during the Northern Summer
operating season (26 March to 29 October 2023), to support the
strong projected demand to these destinations. In addition, in
Australia, Singapore Airlines will operate a new daily A380 service
to Melbourne and Sydney will get a second daily A380 service.
The A380 will return to Melbourne after almost four years on 16
May 2023, while Sydney will receive the second daily A380 from
17 May 2023. The A380 will replace the 777-300ER on SQ237 © Emirates

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