Summary
- Etihad’s remaining A380 fleet status is uncertain, as six planes remain grounded in Europe.
- Etihad has reactivated three out of its ten A380 fleet, with plans to reactivate a fourth one soon.
- While Etihad is unsure about its A380s, Emirates remains committed to the A380 until the 2040s, while Lufthansa plans to reactivate eight more A380s by 2025.
The future of six Etihad A380s remain in doubt following the Middle Eastern carrier’s reactivation of less than half its double-decker fleet. The six planes have been grounded in Europe since the pandemic hit over three-and-a-half years ago.
Etihad’s remaining A380 fate uncertain
Speaking to aviation journalist Andreas Spaeth, Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the future of its remaining grounded Airbus A380 fleet remains unclear. The Abu Dhabi-based airline has so far reactivated three of its ten-strong A380 fleet, with a fourth jet due to return in the near future.
Etihad returned its A380s to service in July with a flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR). However, it still has six of the type sidelined indefinitely – three parked in Teurel (TEV) and three in Lourdes (LDE) – which appear increasingly unlikely to return. All of these aircraft are between eight and nine years old, so they would represent a premature loss if they do end up leaving the fleet.
Photo: Abdul N Quraishi – Abs | Shutterstock
While Etihad is in doubt over its A380s, fellow UAE-based carrier Emirates has reaffirmed its commitment to the A380 until the 2040s, with no feasible replacements likely to enter the market by then. German flag carrier Lufthansa has also committed to more A380 reactivations, with eight planes due to return by 2025.
More routes to come
Neves says the carrier is looking at reintroducing the A380 on more routes – presently, three of its A380s have been reactivated exclusively on the airline’s Abu Dhabi-London route. Etihad operates four daily flights on this route, with one daily service operated by its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Photo: Lukas Wunderlich | Shutterstock
Etihad’s A380s can seat up to 498 passengers – two ‘The Residence’ suites, nine first class ‘apartments’, 70 business seats, and 417 economy seats. Neves confirmed that the airline’s Residence product is available only as a first class upgrade.
Over 150 A380s back in the air
With the COVID pandemic grounding practically the entire global A380 fleet, it is encouraging to see a good chunk of these giants back in the skies. Before the pandemic, there were approximately 240 A380s in service around the globe.
As of November 2023, there are 155 A380s back in service, according to Cirium data. The largest operator by far is Emirates with 97 in service and 24 in storage, while fellow Gulf airline Qatar Airways has reactivated eight of its ten A380s.
What do you think Etihad Airways will do with its remaining Airbus A380 fleet? Let us know in the comments.