Airlines

The airlines that still operate the A380: Have you had the chance to fly with them?

In an era marked by the rapid evolution of aviation technology and a growing emphasis on fuel efficiency, the Airbus A380 stands out as a symbol of aviation’s ambitious past. Once hailed as the pinnacle of luxury air travel, the superjumbo faced challenges that led many airlines to phase it out of their fleets.

However, a handful of carriers have chosen a different path, opting to defy industry trends and continue operating the iconic A380. From the luxurious in-flight experiences offered by these carriers to the strategic decisions guiding their operations.

1.ANA: A Japanese airline is called ANA. Additionally, it will unveil the third of its specially modified “FLYING HONU” Airbus A380s, which will fly just on the Tokyo-Narita-Honolulu route. Three of ANA’s Airbus A380s are currently in service, while none of its A380s are parked. With the third A380, which has an orange livery modeled after Hawaiian Airlines, entering service, two of the three A380s have already commenced flight operations.

2. Asiana Airlines: It is a South Korean airline with its headquarters in Seoul. Three of the six Airbus A380s that were formerly part of Asiana Airlines’ fleet are currently flown by the Korean airline. It has announced that from mid-January 2023 plans to resume Seoul Gimpo – Osaka Kansai route. Three A380s are now parked in its fleet and will be retired by 2026.

3. British Airways: There are 12 A380s in the British Airways fleet. 11 A380 aircraft are now in service, while one A380 is parked in its fleet. British Airways A380 operates exclusively from London Heathrow Terminal 5. It is currently operating selected flights to Boston, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas Fort / Worth, Miami, San Francisco, Vancouver and Washington Dulles.

4. Etihad Airways: It is one of the United Arab Emirates’ two national airlines. Etihad Airways’ fleet consists of ten Airbus A380 aircraft. Four Airbus A380s will be placed back into service, according to plans. It has announced plans to put four Airbus A380s back into service. The intent is for the planes to fly exclusively between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London (LHR). The first A380 should be flying to London as of July 15, 2023, and it’s expected that by October 2023. The A380s’ return has been officially announced by Etihad Airways.

5. Emirates: Emirates is the main user of the Airbus A380. The Dubai-based airline announced its intention to operate over 90 A380s by the end of the year earlier in July. 33 superjumbos were parked in its fleet, while 86 have already been put into service. After years of operating at a reduced capacity due to the coronavirus epidemic, Emirates plans to refill its fleet by bringing back all of its Airbus A380 double-deckers by December 2023. As it ramps up operations to accommodate the high demand for air travel, It is the largest operator of the Airbus A380 in the world, and expects to put its whole fleet of superjumbos back in service by 2023.

6. Korean air: Korean Air has been operating half of its A380 aircraft, much like Asiana. During the pandemic, the entire fleet of Five A380 aircraft was grounded. A weekly trip to Guangzhou, China, marked the return of the first Korean Air A380 to the skies. It also stated that it intended to resume Airbus A380 service on the Seoul Incheon to Taipei Taoyuan route in February or March 2023.

7. Lufthansa: Lufthansa has confirmed that the Airbus A380 will return to operation in the summer of 2023, a reprieve for its superjumbos, which had been sent into deep storage. Due to the customer demand and quicker recovery of international travel after the pandemic. During the Pandemic, it had a fleet of 14 Airbus A380s, with 8 Airbus A380 grounded.

8. Qantas: The 12 Airbus A380s owned by Qantas were moved to California for long-term storage at the beginning of the pandemic. However, as the airline tries to increase international capacity, including resuming flights to New York, Qantas intends to reactivate its five-parked Airbus A380s by December 2023 due to a faster-than-expected rebound in air travel demand.

9. Qatar Airways: Its fleet of ten Airbus A380s includes two grounded aircraft. Eight A380s are now in service with Qatar Airways, flying to Bangkok, Sydney, Perth, and London Heathrow. Qatar Airways also intends to resume Airbus A380 service between Paris and London on December 15.

10. Singapore Airlines: Beginning in May of next year, Singapore Airlines will operate its Airbus A380 fleet to Melbourne for the first time in almost four years. beginning on May 16th, 2023, and ending on October 28th, 2023. Out of its 12-plane superjumbo fleet, it is operating 10, and two A380s were parked. One of the shortest scheduled flights ever made by the A380 is the 160-nautical mile trip.

Airlines

LOT Polish Airlines Boosts Fleet with Arrival of Three Embraer E195-E2 Jets

In order to improve operational flexibility and support network development, LOT Polish Airlines plans to add the Embraer E195-E2 to its fleet.

With the addition of the 25% more efficient E2 to their fleet, LOT will lease three new E195-E2 from Azorra, demonstrating their continued commitment to sustainable growth. This year, the first jet will arrive by the end of July, and all aircraft deliveries will be finished by October.

As the airline’s network expands, LOT needs a flexible solution to meet its capacity needs. In addition to providing passengers with an unparalleled flying experience without middle seats, the E2 enables LOT’s current E-Jet first generation flight crews to seamlessly transfer over a matter of days.

Additionally flexible, the new E2s match LOT’s larger narrow body aircraft with comparable seat prices. The airline plans to set up E195-E2, which can accommodate up to 146 passengers, in a cosy single class configuration with 136 seats.

The remarkable success of Embraer’s new aircraft family began with the 85-minute, 520-kilometer trip to Vienna; the 1800th E-Jet in the programme, an E190-E2, was just delivered to a customer in the Middle East.

LOT is one of the biggest E-jet operators in Europe with a fleet of 43 aircraft as of right now. Over 1.4 million flight hours, 850 million kilometres, and over 60 million passengers—nearly double Poland’s population—have been transported by LOT’s E-jet fleet to date.

Airlines

Qatar Airways Flight Encounters Severe Turbulence Over Somalia

A routine flight from Doha to Mount Kilimanjaro turned harrowing for passengers aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR1499, as the aircraft encountered severe turbulence over Somalia due to adverse weather conditions.

The incident, which unfolded on Friday, left the aircraft, an Airbus A330-200 leased from Oman Air, with internal damages and passengers shaken.

An Airbus A330-200 (A4O-DA), which is presently leased from Oman Air, was used for the flight. The aircraft is still at Kilimanjaro International Airport, as per FlightAware, however the flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to Dar es Salaam (DAR) did not continue after the incident.

A Qatar Airways flight from Doha encountered severe turbulence over Somalia due to adverse weather conditions. As a result, the aircraft sustained internal damage, and at least one passenger required medical attention and was transferred to a Nairobi hospital for treatment. pic.twitter.com/81afJnQXrd— DP 🇰🇪 (@DanChepta) May 6, 2024

Images of the inside show damaged ceiling panels and lights, which are usually the consequence of turbulence causing passengers and service objects to fall into the ceiling.

Surprisingly, the Kenyan airports authority says that this never took place. I haven’t seen that reported online, even though they clearly deny the claim that the plane touched down in Nairobi.

1/2: 🚨 Our attention has been drawn to circulating Social Media reports alleging that a Qatar Airways flight encountered severe turbulence and internal damage before landing at JKIA. We want to clarify that these reports are FALSE. pic.twitter.com/fF9Ruo9bPR— Kenya Airports Authority (@KenyaAirports) May 6, 2024

According to flight tracking, the aircraft carried on to Dar es Salaam before returning to Doha later that day. It doesn’t seem like anyone was too seriously hurt in this incident, even though the cabin sustained significant damage.

The incident should serve as yet another timely reminder for passengers to always wear their seatbelts when sitting, even if the seat belt signs were activated at the time owing to the predicted adverse conditions in the area.

Airlines

Riyadh Air Initiates Talks with Airbus and Boeing for New order

Image:Jetline marvel

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s emerging second flag carrier, is poised for a significant expansion as it sets its sights on bolstering its fleet to commence operations by the summer of 2025.

Reports indicate that the airline is currently engaged in advanced discussions with aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus to finalize a substantial order of wide-body aircraft, marking a crucial step in its journey towards becoming a prominent player in the aviation industry.

CEO Tony Douglas revealed that Riyadh Air is on the verge of clinching a deal for additional narrow-body aircraft, with an announcement expected in the near future. This move underscores the airline’s strategic commitment to fortify its fleet capacity in preparation for an ambitious network expansion.

The imminent narrow-body order complements Riyadh Air’s recently completed acquisition of narrow-body jets, the details of which are set to be disclosed in the coming months. Riyadh Air’s expansion strategy aligns seamlessly with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, aimed at revitalizing the nation’s aviation sector and fostering increased international tourism.

With plans to connect the capital city with over 100 destinations by the end of the decade, Riyadh Air envisions rapid growth, targeting a fleet of more than 200 aircraft within the initial five years of operation.

Notably, Riyadh Air’s endeavors come under the auspices of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, signaling strong government support for the airline’s ambitions. However, amidst the backdrop of robust demand for aircraft and supply chain challenges plaguing both Airbus and Boeing.

Douglas emphasized the imperative of timely jet deliveries to ensure Riyadh Air’s successful debut in the competitive aviation landscape. Both Airbus and Boeing find themselves grappling with production constraints amid burgeoning demand, underscoring the urgency for Riyadh Air to secure its fleet on schedule.

As the airline prepares to take flight, these negotiations epitomize Riyadh Air’s determination to surmount industry challenges and carve out a prominent presence in the global aviation arena.