QANTAS: A380’s back in the air from July 2022

The good news is my favourite plane, and one of my favourite cabins (Qantas First) will be back in the air next year. The less good news is that only 10 of Qantas’s 12 A380’s will fly again. And the even better news is that all those returning to the air will have upgraded interiors including first, business and premium seats. Six have already been ‘refreshed’ as they say, with only 4 to go. I’m looking forward to those new upper deck lounges.

Significantly, this means that Qantas will actually be bringing back First Class, which they now only have on the A380. The Dreamliners don’t have a first-class, and the planned A350 ‘sunrise project’ planes will, but who knows when they will arrive.

First, onward to LAX

The first 5 A380’s will be scheduled first on the Sydney to LAX flights from July 2022, with London (via Singapore) not joining the schedule until November. The other 5 A380’s will have to wait it out in the Mojave desert until early in 2024.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

The return of the A380’s is massively ahead of the initially scheduled 2023-24 – so hurrah for that!

November 2022 is a bit too far in advance for the Qantas booking system to handle a points redemption first-class fare to London, but I will be marking the 360-day mark in my diary!

However, it’s not too early to look up points fares to LA.