Qantas A380 jumbos sent to Mojave desert in California for deep storage; Boeing 747s retired immediately

With international travel almost decimated, and no prospects for a recovery any time soon, Qantas has decided it is time to send its long haul aircraft to the Californian desert, and its iconic 747s will be retired immediately. The carrier is grounding around 100 aircraft, or most of its international fleet, for at least 12 months as it faces up to an extended travel slowdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. While most of the group's long-haul aircraft are expected to steadily return to service over time, there is significant uncertainty as to when flying levels will support its 12 Airbus A380s, the world's largest passenger airliner. "The A380s have to remain on the ground for at least three years until we see those international volumes brought back," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said Thursday. "The aircraft are being put in to the Mojave desert because its better for them to be sitting there. The environment protects the aircraft a lot more, and we have the intention, at the right time, to activate them." Qantas said these assets would be idle for the foreseeable future, which represents a significant portion of their remaining useful life. As a result, the carrying value of the A380 fleet, spare engines and spare parts will be written down, which will constitute the majority of the A$1.25b to $1.4b asset impairment charge in the FY20 result.<br/>