Qantas to phase out A380s

[jb747]

That’s exactly the reason for the phase out. Sunrise doesn’t work if you have a large supply of seats on the A380 on overlapping routes dragging down yields. Qantas need to curtail the supply of seats to ensure Sunrise (with less seats) yields are high enough to justify the investment.

And so others will supply those economy seats...and with aircraft that also have other classes. Sunrise doesn't work as soon as there is any form of competition.

 

[NSun]

I've flown on the A380 that often I've been on every single one of the 12 that were ever in the fleet (I fitted on OQE and OQF on my last trip pre-COVID). I will miss the superjumbos of course but the reality is that it is better business to make more money from less people than to make less money from more people - if the airlines could fill aeroplanes entirely with business class seats and ditch economy, that's exactly what they'd do.

 

[Rayesfeg]

I wonder if any other airline will take possession of them once QF are done with them or if they'll be parked up for parts.
Thinking about the retrofit costs (and these QF A380s need a retrofit) and the troubles with parts supply, I'd say that it's more than likely a bunch will end up being sent to a graveyard for parts.

 

[moa999]

wonder if any other airline will take possession of them

Plenty of other A380s have not been picked up, other than Global Airlines two flights, no other carrier has taken 2nd hand A380s.

 

[markis10]

wonder if any other airline will take possession of them once QF are done with them or if they'll be parked up for parts.

The second hand market for A380s is pretty much dead, coke cans seems to be the future.

 

[Rayesfeg]

Plenty of other A380s have not been picked up, other than Global Airlines two flights, no other carrier has taken 2nd hand A380s.

The second hand market for A380s is pretty much dead, coke cans seems to be the future.

Well that's particularly great news to EK, SQ, BA etc who will no doubt be needing the parts as their fleet starts to age.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Silly question perhaps, but why can't they be economical for freight?

 

[Quickstatus]

I wonder if any other airline will take possession of them once QF are done

No one
Sold for spare parts - too big for any operator other than EK but they are likely to not want them either.
EK CEO has even said they are not interested in used A380 from other airlines
Reasons given are potential reliability problems and configuration differences.
Maybe souvenir hunters using FF points?- cabin trolleys, toilet seat, first class seats, cutlery, and other nick nacks, piece of the aluminium hull

Well that's particularly great news to EK, SQ, BA etc who will no doubt be needing the parts as their fleet starts to age.

Availability of spare parts is not going to be the factor that keeps these behemoths flying - see QF decision re A380.

why can't they be economical for freight?

According to some:
There is a mismatch between volume and weight.
The A380 was apparently optimised for passengers unlike the 747.
Potential volumetric payload would be massive. But then we come up against the same issue - A380 massive passenger capacity didn't work either.
There is a reason why ultra large freighters dont exist in significant numbers.
Airbus decided that re-engineering would have been too expensive. so the A380F never materialised.

In other words (and again) - it is too big.

 

[markis10]

Plenty of other A380s have not been picked up, other than Global Airlines two flights, no other carrier has taken 2nd hand A380s.

You forgot HiFly

Well that's particularly great news to EK, SQ, BA etc who will no doubt be needing the parts as their fleet starts to age.

They already have 100 odd bodies to pick apart

 

[arrow]

And so others will supply those economy seats...and with aircraft that also have other classes. Sunrise doesn't work as soon as there is any form of competition.

Agree with your assessment. I think Qantas think otherwise. There is a belief that there is a segmentation in the market where people will pay a premium for Qantas and if they restrict seat availability they can generate higher yields.
Time will tell I guess

 

[AuSammy]

Hope one stays in AU in a museum (or a hotel)

 

[kookaburra75]

Hope one stays in AU in a museum (or a hotel)

If they can fly one into the HARS Aviation Museum as they did with the 747 VH-OJA, I would pay a lot of money to watch that, as I think a lot of other people would. They could almost recoup the costs I think.

 

[elanshin]

If they can fly one into the HARS Aviation Museum as they did with the 747 VH-OJA, I would pay a lot of money to watch that, as I think a lot of other people would. They could almost recoup the costs I think.

Maybe OQA could live on given its history.

 

[drron]

The one thing I disliked most was flying the A380 out of SYD and the scrum at the gate. Even when escorted you couldn’t board first.

 

[Rayesfeg]

The one thing I disliked most was flying the A380 out of SYD and the scrum at the gate. Even when escorted you couldn’t board first.

I've noticed this as well, and my impression is that it's more about the Qantas boarding process than the aircraft itself.
Singapore Airlines manage A380 boarding at SYD quite efficiently. They set up 5 or 6 lanes with queue dividers and signage showing where passengers should line up. From memory, the left-most lanes are for Economy, the middle lane for Premium Economy, the next lane for Business, and the far right lane for Suites.
What really makes the difference is that SQ actively manage the crowd and avoid a scrum by having staff move through the queues and direct passengers to the correct lane (or to actually stand in a lane rather than dwell in the middle of the waiting area) when crowds start to form. Qantas may do something similar but without the crowd management (happy to be corrected if my recollection is off) which leads to quite the scrum at boarding time.

 

[mjt57]

There you go I never got the hype of the a380! Much prefer a350/a330, the latter for economy. 787 is fine in premium.

Depends on your seat, I guess. Our most recent trip to the US was on one. Barely better than economy, we thought and for a lot more $$$.

Virgin's 777 premium economy was a lot better, we thought.

Our last two OS trips, MEL-SIN-LHR was QF MEL- SIN B787, A380 the rest of the way, prem eco; and MEL-DXB-FCO Emirates prem eco (last leg was economy) on A380s. Comparing those two classes, I'd have to say that Emirates did a better job, overall. Worst was the 787.

Want horrendous? Then Jetstar's economy MEL-HON and UAL LAX-MEL on the "Nightmareliner" 5 years ago.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I've noticed this as well, and my impression is that it's more about the Qantas boarding process than the aircraft itself.
Singapore Airlines manage A380 boarding at SYD quite efficiently. They set up 5 or 6 lanes with queue dividers and signage showing where passengers should line up. From memory, the left-most lanes are for Economy, the middle lane for Premium Economy, the next lane for Business, and the far right lane for Suites.
What really makes the difference is that SQ actively manage the crowd and avoid a scrum by having staff move through the queues and direct passengers to the correct lane (or to actually stand in a lane rather than dwell in the middle of the waiting area) when crowds start to form. Qantas may do something similar but without the crowd management (happy to be corrected if my recollection is off) which leads to quite the scrum at boarding time.

How many aero-bridges were they using?
I can't remember boarding a QF A380, but I distinctly remember boarding EY A380s on at least two occasions.
At both AUH & CDG they deployed 4 aero-bridges.
2 for Y PAX on the main deck and 2 on the top deck, for F & J PAX respectively.

On one occasion, boarding in CDG, I was booked on staff travel so I had no lounge access.
In desperation I had bought breakfast in McDonald’s.
Then the boarding call was early so I took breakfast as take away and sprinted to the gate,.
The door to the dedicated F aero-bridge had to be unlocked by an FA so I could board.
I was so embarrassed as I clutched my take away breakfast, I apologised to the on-board chef/sommelier.
He graciously replied "Monsieur, you can bring anything you like onboard!".

In AUH we boarded directly from the private lounge dedicated to PAX booked in The Residence.
We were escorted and we boarded last: the aircraft waited 15 minutes for us to finish our treatments in the spa!
Needless to say I was not on staff travel on this occasion. Staff cannot book The Residence.

I have another CDG EY F boarding story which I will save for another post.

 

[mviy]

I think F boarding QF9 worked well in MEL. Only did it once. Would love to do it again but there’s no F service on QF metal from MEL anymore.

 

[fletty]

When we flew QF1 last year in F the boarding in Sydney was a zoo. They called specifically for First passengers to board first, and we had to squeeze past everyone in the lines as a result.
Had someone waiting for us on the aerobridge (FlettyJr was 6mo old) and excitedly walked us down.

 

[arrow]

When we flew QF1 last year in F the boarding in Sydney was a zoo. They called specifically for First passengers to board first, and we had to squeeze past everyone in the lines as a result.
Had someone waiting for us on the aerobridge (FlettyJr was 6mo old) and excitedly walked us down.

They should prevent passengers from crowding around the gate area. They should be seated or stand the to side. SQ and EK do it perfectly.