QANTAS A.380

[James Smith]

Confirmation from QANTAS that the refurbishments of the A380 fleet will be kept to six aircraft at present.

The A380s already refurbished - VH-OQH, OQJ & OQK. The A380s currently being refurbished - VH-OQG, OQD & OQI. It could be that OQG, which has been in DRS for over 3 months, has been completed and is now being stored there. Similarly with OQD which has been in AUH for over 2 months.

The challenge for Qantas is that “we don’t know when the big markets like the US and the UK, which use the A380s, will open, and when,” Joyce explains to Executive Traveller. “We are keeping our options open," he added.

Qantas has already refitted six of its 12 Airbus, replacing its business class Skybeds with the more passenger-pleasing Business Suites and adding two new inflight lounges.

But plans to refurbish the remaining six jets have been halted to free up cash in the short term, and reduce what could prove to be unnecessary spend over a longer period, until it’s clear how many A380s will be needed going forward.

Source: Executive Traveller