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Qantas has confirmed it will begin retiring its A380s in two years’ time as more next-generation wide-bodies enter the fleet.
The national carrier is bringing forward the superjumbos’ retirement, which had been planned for the early 2030s, as it holds talks with Boeing and Airbus about converting around 20 existing purchase right options to firm orders from 2030.
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“The A380 will now be gradually phased out of the fleet from calendar year 2028. The next generation aircraft replacing it can fly further, and will be able to operate all routes on the airline’s current international network and open up new ones,” the Flying Kangaroo said in its full-year earnings press release.
“This fleet renewal is expected to significantly improve Qantas International’s earnings performance and reduce operational complexity, with its operating margin expected to increase to 10-12 per cent from FY32.”
Qantas already has firm orders for 12 new A350s and 12 new 787s, in addition to the 12 specially modified A350-1000ULR aircraft that will operate Project Sunrise flights. The first Project Sunrise aircraft will arrive in April, with Qantas’ first new 787s to arrive in the 2028 financial year.
According to Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson, the group’s fleet renewal “continued at pace” in FY26, with 17 new aircraft arriving during the year and up to 31 more to arrive in the year ahead; the majority of these aircraft joined Qantas.
“Customers are telling us how much these aircraft are improving the flying experience, and they’re a big part of what’s driving our financial performance too,” Hudson said.
“With our first Project Sunrise A350-1000ULR to arrive in April, and more A350s and 787s on the way, it’s a new era for Qantas’ international fleet with these next generation aircraft set to transform the way our customers travel.
“This means we can commence the retirement of our A380 fleet from 2028.”
Qantas returned the last of its A380s, VH-OQC, to service late last year and now has 10 operating superjumbos of its original 12, with VH-OQE and VH-OQF scrapped. The airline initially ordered 20, but scaled back its purchase in the mid-2010s due to cost.
Its first A380, VH-OQA “Nancy-Bird Walton”, entered service in 2008.
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Rod
says:May I start by saying that I fully understand that an airline is a business and not a charity, it has to find huge sums of money to buy but a single income earning asset and then hope like crazy that the public like it and use it for the financial benefit of the operator. Now I am quite certain that the decision by QF to lay off it’s A380’s starting in 2028 is questionable. The world of travellers has been denied the beauty, comfort, flexibility of perhaps the best aircraft ever, the B747-400/dash 8 put down by vested interests in twin engine ops of other also top aircraft but that term, “fuel efficient” is a killer!!! of strategic thinking. Seriously at the moment we have to ask, is if and when is the B777X going to be certified??? it has the closest cabin width to the B747, short by 6ins whereas the wonderful A350 and not so wonderful B787 are shorter by 17 and 21ins respectively yet in the main are configured almost the same??? and now us Ozzies will be denied the wonders of the A380 again because of “fuel efficiency”, don’t worry about the fact that the A380 cabin width is bigger by 19ins over the B747. Clearly fuel efficiency is more important than pax comfort. Analysts keep telling us that it takes more fuel to take more pax, yes I know that but, the converse must be true and be more practical these days – until we have a firm date on the introduction of say the B777X and be well aware of its fuel efficiency-it appears there is no interest either by Boeing or Airbus in a NEO option for the B747 and A380 so I am saying we should have a good look at LH ops. They have retained the A340 and B747/8 and look like staying with the A380. In the case of QF ops, we do have a unique geographical problem, so it makes sense to retain our A380’s until at least their next D check and not go early after having spent so much money on re-commissioning them. We must not forget!!!!!! passenger comfort is paramount, if any operator thinks that they can cram in more pax in more seats for an extended range journey, short term may be ok but long term, asking for trouble! Thank you for your time.