Once-spurned superjumbos return to skies as travel roars back
Written off as an oversized anachronism when Covid-19 upended aviation, the world's largest passenger plane is enjoying an unlikely revival to handle an overwhelming rebound in air travel. Many airlines struggled to see a future for their enormous Airbus A380s when the pandemic grounded fleets in early 2020. Qantas Airways parked its 12 double-deckers in the Californian desert, saying they would not be needed for at least three years, while Etihad Airways said it is not clear if its 10 superjumbos will ever fly again. But this year's sudden travel recovery has given the cavernous jets - often seating more than 500 people - a new lease of life. They have become the long range jumbo of choice for airlines from Britain to the Gulf and Australia as passenger volumes stretch aviation workforces that were depleted during the crisis. By the end of this year, monthly A380 flights will be almost 60% of pre-Covid-19 totals, Cirium data show, defying the jet's doubters. British Airways will operate more A380 flights by the end of the year than it did before Covid-19. As international travel returns, the A380's carrying ability is validating - at least for now - the massive bet by its No. 1 buyer Emirates Group of Dubai and proving useful for carriers such as Qantas that did not permanently turn their backs on the giant plane.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2022-06-20/general/once-spurned-superjumbos-return-to-skies-as-travel-roars-back
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Once-spurned superjumbos return to skies as travel roars back
Written off as an oversized anachronism when Covid-19 upended aviation, the world's largest passenger plane is enjoying an unlikely revival to handle an overwhelming rebound in air travel. Many airlines struggled to see a future for their enormous Airbus A380s when the pandemic grounded fleets in early 2020. Qantas Airways parked its 12 double-deckers in the Californian desert, saying they would not be needed for at least three years, while Etihad Airways said it is not clear if its 10 superjumbos will ever fly again. But this year's sudden travel recovery has given the cavernous jets - often seating more than 500 people - a new lease of life. They have become the long range jumbo of choice for airlines from Britain to the Gulf and Australia as passenger volumes stretch aviation workforces that were depleted during the crisis. By the end of this year, monthly A380 flights will be almost 60% of pre-Covid-19 totals, Cirium data show, defying the jet's doubters. British Airways will operate more A380 flights by the end of the year than it did before Covid-19. As international travel returns, the A380's carrying ability is validating - at least for now - the massive bet by its No. 1 buyer Emirates Group of Dubai and proving useful for carriers such as Qantas that did not permanently turn their backs on the giant plane.<br/>
