QANTAS A.380

[Dennis McLean]

VH OQA is due to depart SYD at 2.40pm today as QFA 6011 ferry flight to AUH. Is this the first 380 to have the cabin alterations and is it being done at AUH or going onto Toulouse???

[James Smith]

A380 VH-OQA arrived back in SYD from AUH during the afternoon of 7 March, 2019 as QF6012 and returned to service 2 days later. I'm not sure if the cabin alterations were done during the 42 days it was in AUH but assume so, as AUH has not been previously used by QANTAS for maintenance or repainting.

Has anyone flown in OQA since its return to confirm? I presume that QANTAS will not promote the new interior until a few more A380s have had it installed.

On Friday 15 March, 2019 VH-OQC flew from SYD to AUH for maintenance as QF6011 and if it takes the same time period as OQA wont be back until the last week of April.

[Rowan McKeever]

I haven’t seen the aircraft nor any official documentation, but it has been said many times in many different places online that OQA was only undergoing heavy maintenance in AUH and that the first batch of cabins will be done in TLS.

[MarkR]

A seat map would normally be out if there had been a change.

[James Smith]

Thanks for clearing that up, Rowan. We'll await further news.

[James Smith]

More information from the QANTAS News Release of 25 August, 2017 on the A380 cabin refurbishment:

Work on the first A380 is expected to begin in the second quarter of calendar year 2019. All 12 aircraft will be upgraded by the end of 2020. The design integration will be managed by Airbus.

[James Smith]

VH-OQC returned to SYD this afternoon as QF6010 after maintenance in AUH.

[Dennis McLean]

I see that QANTAS is operating QF5 SYD/SIN/LHR on 26 May with A.380 aircraft 22.30/16.20, a stopover in SIN for 4.45 hrs. There is no return flight showing. So is the Aircraft ferrying to TLS for cabin conversion. I did read somewhere that this work may be done in Toulouse?????

[Fred C]

Dresden?

[Dennis McLean]

Hi Fred, Thanks. I did look at Airbus, Dresden and found there is quite a facility there doing freighter conversions and maintenance. Dennis