Best Airbus A380 memories (so far)

[Mattg]

It was suggested in another thread discussing the storage of Qantas' A380s in Victorville that we may soon have a "best memories on an A380" thread similar to the previous 747 thread.

So, I thought I would start one. Not because I think the A380s won't be back and it's time to start mourning their loss. Rather, I think it would still be interesting to hear peoples' favourite stories about this magnificent aircraft and the journeys AFF'ers have had on it over the years.

So, here is your chance to share your favourite Airbus A380 memories!

 

[Mattg]

I'm sure a lot of contributions to this thread will be about flights in premium cabins. But one of my favourite A380 flights was actually in economy class, on what was at the time the world's longest route.

In 2015 I flew back from the USA on QF8 (DFW-SYD). This was not long after the A380 took over the 747 on this route and the Brisbane stop was dropped. The inbound flight was extremely delayed and instead of departing DFW at 8.10pm, QF8 was delayed until 10am the following morning. This meant that it ended up being a daytime flight and we arrived in Sydney around sunset, rather than sunrise.

There were a few minor changes to the service due to the retiming, e.g. the meals were switched around and breakfast was served first after takeoff. But the thing that stood out about this flight was how empty it was!

Because of the huge delay, most of the other passengers had been re-routed onto other flights via LAX, so there were less than 100 passengers in total on board the delayed flight. I was seated in 80K, an exit row seat in the rear economy section, and there were just 2 other people in the entire section! Everyone got a row of seats to stretch out across, and it was almost like a party on board. The crew were really chill and kept brining me goodies from the business class cabin as well. Certainly a nice way to cross the Pacific!

This was the cabin after takeoff:

 

[AIRwin]

Not memory but fantasy - after seeing my partner's photos of the EK shower...

 

[Fergo747]

Hard to define best, but a few stand outs for me:

• QF F a few times to Asia / US
• EK F to Europe
• EK bar (number of times)
• QF onboard 'lounge' - running into a friend at DFW airport and spending the first few hours in the lounge drinking red as the seatbelt sign was on due to weather

 

[kookaburra75]

Over the past five years, I did the run to the UK for work about 3-4 times a year; on the old QF9/QF2 run, or later onto QF1/QF2 run. All were in Y unless I could score an upgrade to J on points, which happened about 50% of the time (I can't sleep sitting up, so PE wasn't worth it). I really liked the A380 as a traveller, as it was quiet and with enough head room. I've had a few "best" experiences/memories on them

• The best trips in Y were in the old mini-cabin on the top deck, with 36J&K being the favourite of me and MrsK. Tucked away in the back corner, with enough room to stretch out. Plus being SG/WP, the cabin crew would drop off drinks and food from the PE trolley as they went past, so it wasn't too bad.
• My first upgrade to J in late 2015; my first time in a lay-flat seat - sheer luxury. As a first time, I've associated the luxury of J with the A380. There have been a couple of flights in J on the A330 up to and back from Singapore, but it's not quite the same
• But, the best would have been getting to visit jb747's 'office' on his last flight from Sydney - Singapore, after we had landed in Singapore. I was amazed how small the coughpit was compared to the size of the aircraft, but sitting in his chair I could see how the aircraft fitted you like a glove.

 

[VPS]

Definitely the shower on EK F from DXB to LHR - it was just so indulgent

 

[NoName]

My first experience of F. QF93 in 2016. It was the culmination of a few years of learning the points game on here. I have since had better flights but nothing will beat the anticipation and thrill of the first time. I remember joking with friends and family at the time that it was my first time on the A380 Lower deck, having previously done QF in Y+ and SQ Y when they had a small Y cabin at the back of the upper deck.

Hope we get to fly it again!

 

[dajop]

My first experience of A380, which was on SQ, but the memorable bit was about 2 hrs before boarding the aircraft. I remember flying up from MEL to catch it out of SYD. We were delayed enroute, and started a hold pattern south of Sydney. It was quite impressive to see the SQ A380 outside the window, which was also in a hold pattern, the first time I ever saw the aircraft.

 

[flyingfan]

Think my first A380 experience was on SQ too (in Y). Saw the first few SQ flights SIN-SYD, although think I missed the very first one.

A good memory wasn't in a premium cabin. It was when I first flew using QF, in the famous 80A SIN-MEL. Got a nice visit from the CSM and the flight went very quickly. Funnily I booked it as a BA codeshare because it was cheaper.

But i have enjoyed EK F - only trans-Tasman and the seat furnishings were OTT but was very happy with the food, service and definitely the showers. Best status runs ever!!

EDIT: Also remember arriving in MEL on a QF 747 and the pilot give a little speech as we were taxing saying "On your left you'll see one of our new A380s. It's just joined our fleet and we're very proud of this aircraft" ... sad we're in this position now

 

[kpc]

All my A380 F flights bring back very fond memories which have been on Sq (old and new cabins), QF, EK, EY, TG and OZ. My dream F A380 flight would be the EY/EK chauffeur car pick up and drop off service, TG ground service at Bkk with escorted checkin and security check, buggy ride to lounge, 1 hour massage, then buggy ride to plane, my favorite F lounge would be EK at Dxb (too big for many!), onboard it is a close call between EY (solo flight) vs new Sq suites with partner for double bed (both with enclosed suite), QF mattress for comfort, EY/EK red wines, Sq food (have a slight bias for Asian food but OZ have a superb caviar service with pearl spoon), EK shower (more room than EY) and OZ with the largest TV screen in the air at 32 inches HD. If we lose the A380s, F travel experiences on the A380 would be sorely missed....

 

[Hvr]

I have many fond memories of the A380, a shower on the Emirates flight from AKL-MEL was nice and will probably never be replicated. Chauffeur drives in London and Melbourne after wonderful trips in F. An opup at the gate from J-F flying from LAX-MEL was lovely.


But the best memory is surely being a very very small part of JB747s final flight ever, from SIN-MEL. It really started on the Saturday when I flew up to SIN. I asked the cabin crew if they were doing the flight back the next day.

When they asked why I said because I was also coming back on that flight with them, specifically for the Captain's retirement flight. From this time on I was treated like a king. When I was entering the plane door the next night I was greeted by my first name (as is my preference) and warmly welcomed back. Flights up and back in J.

The crew had specifically wanted to be on this flight to farewell JB747, and it was a great flight. Upon arrival in MEL, myself and two other pax were invited to the coughpit to sit in the driver's seat. A special thrill that brought out the little boy in me.

I then got to see and photograph the retirement speeches and gifts. A privilege in every sense of the word and a wonderful memory of a very special A380 flight.

 

[flyingfan]

Great story @Hvr! I love seeing the crew excited amongst themselves.

OT but mentions of the EK chauffeur bring back some not so best memories. Had one of them after an EK A380 (in J). Arrived in MEL very late and the contracted drivers in arrivals were about to get into a biffo arguing over who got what jobs. Our driver overshot our exit. Not a polished performance.

Have flown QF A380 in F a few times but was never eligible for the chauffeur!

 

[Mogul]

Having the whole upper deck in J to ourselves on SQ from Shanghai to Singapore.

 

[StevoQFtraveller]

I've been fairly lucky where the A380 is concerned. I've only ever flown QF A380 metal. I've done a number of trips SIN - LHR and MEL - LAX. In all of these trips I've only ever flown F, as I either get bumped up or I have used points. So, I can't say how the porper seats are, but the pointy end is certainly satisfactory.

I was on one of the first flights between SIN and LHR - the FA's were so happy showing me all of the new controls on the suites. They were just as excited as me being in the F cabin!

Sad that we probably won't ever see another QF A380 in the sky (except for flying to a desert!). And also, may never see another QF first!

 

[HokitikaGold]

This is an excellent thread topic, yet also painful, as I feel now that I did not appreciate the amazing "hey day" of international travel that was reached over the past few years. I hope it will return!

My first experience of an A380 was in business, Sydney to Auckland with Emirates. The sheer "bling" amazed me (that was more about the airline than the actual plane). I spent the flight back at the bar, which was an eye-opener in itself that you can have such a usable space in a plane that releases you from the confinement of your allocated seat. I fell in love with the plane that day.

Having spent some time in small dodgy planes in "developing" countries, I was also amazed by the sheer quietness and soft ride. I felt like I was travelling in a building.

Later on I did some fancy stuff. My memory of a Qantas MEL-DXB is a sense of loss, in that the bed was so awesome that I slept through the entire flight

But my super-best ever experience was in F on Emirates from DXB to BCN. These days airlines encourage a more sedate sort of travel experience, but decades ago it was more a "party in the sky" experience. This flight returned to that old genre, and the almost twelve hour party we had in the J bar, as F pax, was unbeleivable. Topped of of course with a SHOWER To this day I use Bvlgari fragrances - because I love them and they take me back to those perfect days/nights in an Emirates A380

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well my favourite A380 memory is being on the first domestic flight of a QF A380 in Australia. And I doubt that QF has had many.

There had been a huge storm in Sydney with the Airport closed and my flight back to MEL on Jetstar was cancelled, along with flights to anywhere. Luckily I was very quick off the mark and I managed to get a free hotel room off Jetstar. Many did not.


As it was a whole afternoon's and evening's worth of flights the backlog in getting a rescheduled flight was massive.

Checking during the morning we were advised that we would be flying, but that it would be on a Qantas plane. all good, as the media at the time was indicating that it might take days to catch up.

On arriving at the airport and checking in my great surprise was to discover that the flight was to be on a A380. Qantas has decided to use it to help catch up with the massive backlog.

It was my first and only time on a Qantas A380 (I have had many A380 flights, but all on SQ). We (my wife was with me) were on the lower deck, and as I had never been on a QF A380 once the flight was up and level I thought I would go for a it of a wander. I went to the upper deck, and discovered it was completely empty. So I wandered down to first class to check it out. While enjoying one of the couches there, a flight attendant arrived and said I would need to go back down below. He was quite friendly and as I was clearly interested he was kind enough to act a bit like a tour guide and explain some of the features before escorting me back down below.

So that is the only time when I have had a flight delayed overnight that I have ended up being very pleased that I was.

 

[dajop]

A bit OT, but between us on AFF do we cover all the airlines that have operated A380's?. Above we have mentioned QF, SQ, EK, EY, TG and OZ. I've flown MH & LH operated A380s' in addition to several of the others (not TG & EY), but that leaves AF, BA, CZ, KE and NH. And the charter operator, HiFly.

 

[AIRwin]

This flight returned to that old genre, and the almost twelve hour party we had in the J bar, as F pax, was unbeleivable.

12 hours from DXB to BCN?

Post automatically merged: Aug 26, 2020

Above we have mentioned QF, SQ, EK, EY, TG and OZ. I've done MH & LH (but not TG & EY), but that leaves AF, BA, CZ, KE and NH. And the charter operator, HiFly.

And QR...

 

[HokitikaGold]

12 hours from DXB to BCN?

Post automatically merged: Aug 26, 2020

And QR...

It was a semi-long haul - have no recollection of the actual travel time

Edit: damn Dom, it appears that said flight time is just 7 hrs - but in fairness to me and my proclivities, this was a flight attached to the 14 hrs from SYD.

 

[NSun]

I've flown on the A380 about 30 times, only on QF & EK metal. I loved the bar in Emirates J, sadly never got the chance to go in F. But the one time I got to fly on QF First, last June on QF35 Melbourne-Singapore, was the greatest flight of my life.