After a significant hiatus, Qantas' inaugural A380, VH-OQA, has resumed commercial operations. This quadjet, aged 16.2 years, holds the distinction of being the 14th A380 manufactured, as per its Manufacturer Serial Number
By J Prakash
Data from ch-aviation indicates that MSN001 through MSN013 have either been decommissioned, preserved, or placed in storage, making VH-OQA the oldest operational double-decker aircraft. It takes over this distinction from its counterpart, VH-OQB. VH-OQA, christened Nancy-Bird Walton in honour of the Australian aviation trailblazer, was delivered to Qantas in September 2008.
Qantas boasts a fleet of 12 A380s, all equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines and boasting a maximum take-off weight of approximately 570,000 kg (~1.26 million lbs). Most of these aircraft accommodate 485 passengers, including a first-class section with 14 seats. Currently, six of the remaining 10 A380s are in active service, while two have been retired.
In June 2023, plans were announced to reintegrate all remaining A380s into the airline's operational fleet by the end of 2024. Notably, in September 2022, VH-OQA undertook a journey from Victorville to Los Angeles, where it underwent a two-month maintenance period before embarking on a route from Los Angeles to London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi in November 2022, during which it underwent cabin upgrades.
Remaining stationed at Abu Dhabi International Airport until April 2024, VH-OQA conducted a 3-hour and 33-minute test flight on April 4 (refer to the following image) before making its journey back to Australia the subsequent day. The aircraft, under flight number QF6014, landed in Sydney at 13:40 local time on April 6.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous airlines deemed the Airbus A380 obsolete and unsuitable for their needs, leading to the retirement of many of these superjumbo jets due to decreased demand for air travel. However, with a resurgence in global air travel, airlines are now reintroducing the A380 to meet the growing demand for passenger flights.
Qantas, in response to the increased demand, is set to enhance capacity on various routes by reintroducing larger aircraft such as the A380. As part of this strategy, Qantas will deploy an Airbus A380 on its flights to Johannesburg (JNB) in South Africa this year, aiming to bolster capacity on the route. Specifically, starting September 30, the A380 will replace Qantas' current Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which currently serves these flights.
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