Summary
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Following the Covid-19 pandemic, many airlines found demand for air travel drop to a historic low.
No longer could they justify operating large capacity airliners when so few passengers were flying, and at the time it was estimated that it would take many years for demand to recover.
As a result, most of the world’s airlines parked up their large jets – the Airbus A380 superjumbo in particular.
In the cases of airlines like Air France, the type would be grounded permanently, never to return to service.
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Air France A380 Operations
Air France received its first Airbus A380 in October 2009.
It went on to operate ten of the type, all based at its Paris Charles de Gaulle hub, and flying to long-haul destinations like Abuja, Atlanta, New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Shanghai, Mexico City, Johannesburgh and Dubai.
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Air France A380 Retirement
The airline had planned to operate the type until at least 2022, but brought forward its decision to retire them due to the pandemic.
A decision had already been made not to renew leases on half of the fleet, but the other half were to have cabin refurbishments. This was cancelled, however.
Following this, the airline retired its aircraft to storage at airports like Tarbes-Lourdes, pending onward sale or scrapping.
A final flight of the Air France A380, for staff only, took off with F-HPJH, on 26 June 2020.
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Where Are Air France’s A380s Now
Since retirement, Air France’s A380 fleet has had a mixed fate, with some still stored and others being scrapped. Here’s a summary of where they are now:
F-HPJA (33) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
F-HPJB (40) Scrapped at Knock Ireland West
F-HPJC (43) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
F-HPJD (49) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
F-HPJE (52) Being scrapped at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France, with new registration 9H-AIY
F-HPJF (64) Scrapped at Teruel, Spain
F-HPJG (67) Currently stored at Teruel, Spain
F-HPJH (99) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
F-HPJI (115) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
F-HPJJ (117) Currently stored at Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrennees, France
Given the poor resale market for aircraft as large as the Airbus A380, it is unlikely any of the stored aircraft will fly again.
Title image: Eric Salard
Did you fly on an Air France A380? What was it like? Leave a comment below.
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15 comments
Hi Matt, here are their last flight ferry dates. JA 18/08/20; JB 20/02/20; JC 23/04/20; JD 22/02/20; JE 21/04/20;
JF 25/04/20; JG 25/04/20 yip two in one day; JH 16/07/20; JI 28/05/20; JJ last to go on 07/09/20.
There is a video of F-HPJB arriving at a very cold and wet Knock airport with 100s of spectators in attendance.
Thanks Merv!
Interesting article, but I wonder if Air France will regret this. All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines have all reactivated many of their A380 equipment, with more currently in rehabilitation. The end of the pandemic has resulted in unprecedented air travel demand, with all these carriers filling their 380’s to capacity.
i travelled fm Dubai – NY…Dubai…Emirates…last month….i found it half empty both ways…….we just had 200 odd people ….
Hello All, I flew twice on this best of its class airplane. Once to Johannesburg in SA, and once to JFK. I will definitely miss the comfort and space of this plane and how quiet and smooth it was during the cruise. Pity to see these noble aircraft being scrapped 😢. RIP A380.
It’s sad they’ve chosen to scrap them. I think AF will ultimately regret their decision. I flew on an A380
pre pandemic to London (British Airways) in 2019. The most comfortable plane I’ve ever been on.
I flew with Air France twice on the A380. First in 2015 Paris-Miami-Paris and then again in 2019 Miami-Paris. A special experience to fly with the largest passenger plane. I also flew Emirates A380 Dubai-Bangkok in 2016
In 2014 I did my A380 training with Air France and completed 5 flights on
FHJPI
FHPJE
FHPJG
FHPJB
FHPJA
FHPJC
At that time my airline contracted AF to train their A380 Instructors.
I had the wonderfull experience of flying the best airplane from New York to Paris. I spent half of my life on the air, but I never enjoyed so much to fly the Air bus 380 of Air France. The French airline should consider to start flying the Air Bus 380 again.
Best passenger plane for long haul of all time. No seats are bad, incredibly comfortable, 625+ mph, smooth as silk. Even with 530+ passengers its a dream machine. Hate to see them go but maybe the Airbus 350 will compete for comfort. God I loved that 380. C’est manifique!
Flew on BA 0285 from London Heathrow-SFO yesterday 03/06/2024 and while it was an uneventful flight (albeit delayed 2-hours in London) I got a very distinctive dated feeling from the Lower Deck Business Class cabin. I was in 11B and aisle seat totally exposed, no privacy whatsoever, as were all aisle seats on the lower deck. I had the sense this aircraft had at one time been retired and re-activated, but upon reactivation, no upgrades were made to enhance the passenger experience or privacy. Rather disappointing.
I have been on one of the latest fights of F-HPJE. It brought me home at the start of the pandemic. I booked the flight back home in a hurry, as my wife was calculated to give birth two weeks later. Flight after flight was being cancelled. Airspace by airspace was being closed for passenger traffic. The flight was awkwardly empty. It was the right decision to take the flight, as it was one of the last two flights on that regular flight schedule.
When we arrived in Paris, it turned out to be the retirement flight of the captain. A small celebration was held. At the door of the plane, I thanked him personally for bringing me home, and I told him my story. I have done a lot of flights in my life, but that one will stick forever.
It is and stays an amazing machine. It is sad only a few airlines can operate it at a profit.
We had a chance to fly Heathrow to Paris return on the AF A380 when they were doing Crew Orientation and Training Flights. Amazing experience and despite its enormous size the take off and landing was as smooth and gentle as any smaller jets. On the outward leg we were on the lower deck and the return on the upper deck. Also having the external cameras wired through to the monitors at each seat you got a first hand view of everything as though sitting either on the tail or on the nose.
Bring it back !!!
Bring them back please! I have flown on AF A380 from LAX to CDG once in 2019. The most comfortable flight I have ever experienced. Missing it!