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Unlike several other companies, Qantas wants to continue flying for a long
time with all its Airbus A380s. CEO Alan Joyce expects the Superjumbo's to be
part of the fleet until the end of the next decade.
 
"We now provide our twelve A380s with a new interior, for which we need about
a year. After that we want to keep these machines in service for a maximum of
ten years, "Joyce told ch-aviation.
 
The Australian company received its first A380s in 2008 and the last one in
2011. The Airbuses will therefore be around 20 years old when they are phased
out.
 
To ensure that the planes remain completely up-to-date, Qantas equips them
with the new Business Class and Premium Economy of the Boeing 787-9. The First
Class and Economy Class also receive a slight freshening up and there will be
a new onboard lounge in the aircraft.
 
Qatar Airways CEO Al Baker recently said he will retire his A380s as soon as
they are ten, while Lufthansa and Air France will halve their Superjumbo fleet
in the coming years. These companies replace their A380s with smaller,
twin-engine aircraft.
 
Malaysia Airlines also wanted to get rid of its A380s, but decided - because
of a lack of interest in the second-hand market - to keep them anyway. The
company now uses them for pilgrim flights to Mecca and for deployment during
peak moments in the regular network.
 
In contrast to the Airbus A380, the Boeing 747 has to leave the fleet of
Qantas in the short term. The Australians want to have the latest aircraft
replaced by the end of next year by modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
 
The long-distance fleet of Qantas will therefore consist of the Airbus A330,
A380 and Boeing 787 from the end of next year. From the end of 2022, the
Airbus A350 or Boeing 777X must be added for Project Sunrise (non-stop flights
from Sydney to London and New York).

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