First Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo returns to Australia after 10 months in storage

The first Qantas A380 superjumbo returned to Australia after almost 600 days of storage in California's Mojave desert. The plane touched down in Sydney 3.11pm local time after an epic 18 hour, 58 minute, 16,000 kilometre non-stop flight from Dresden, Germany, where the giant aircraft underwent maintenance and had new landing gear installed. Qantas has brought forward the return of its A380s fleet several times since the relaxation of borders were announced. CE Alan Joyce previously predicted the aircraft would not fly again for the airline until 2023. Strong demand for flights to the US and UK have seen the airline bring forward the return of the A380s to service to April 2022, when two superjumbos will resume Sydney-Los Angeles flights. Three more will re-enter service on the London route from July 2022. This was previously not expected to happen until November next year. "That shows the confidence we have in getting our flagship aircraft back in the air," Joyce said last week.<br/>