QANTAS Fleet and Operations

[Tristan S]

Another A380 is leaving the desert with VH-OQL about to depart VCV for LAX

[James Smith]

Thanks for that update, Tristan. Just VH-OQI left to depart the desert, in one piece that is!

[James Smith]

An article in Simple Flying about QANTAS reintroducing its sixth A380, specifically OQA, in mid December got me thinking.

In a further boost to its international network, Qantas will bring back its sixth Airbus A380 later this month. After almost three years in storage, the aircraft will offer vital operational resilience over the busy Christmas holiday period.

The aircraft, registered as VH-OQA, is currently undergoing final maintenance checks at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), before re-entering into service in mid-December.

https://simpleflying.com/qantas-rein...h-airbus-a380/

OQA only arrived in AUH on 18/11/22 for refurbishment and possibly other maintenance. It seems improbable that it will return to service after only a month, as refurbishment has taken at least two months and up to three months with aircraft done prior to COVID. Could it be OQG returning to service instead as it has been in AUH for over four months? I don't think it will be OQC as she seems to like the desert too much!

As with an in-service A380 - OQJ, replacing another in-service A380 - OQK with the wing spar inspections, I thought it possible that one of the remaining in-service A380s, OQB, OQD, OQH would be next after OQK. But that would only leave five A380s in service for the next 150 days (50 days per aircraft inspection) without other A380s returning.

So, if a sixth A380 is to return to service it would more likely be OQK, which completes its wing spar inspection in the next few days, and then bring an aircraft not currently in service for the next inspection.

I guess we will just have to wait and see how accurate this article is.

Source: Simple Flying 5 December, 2022