Qantas has confirmed plans to accelerate the retirement of its Airbus A380 fleet, bringing forward the phase-out of its 10 superjumbos by up to four years.
The airline will begin gradually retiring the aircraft from 2028, instead of the previously expected timeline of around 2032. Qantas cited rising maintenance costs and the operational risks of supporting an aircraft that is no longer in production.
The A380s will be replaced on key long-haul routes, including Singapore, London, Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth, primarily by more fuel-efficient Airbus A350-1000s. Johannesburg could also see the newer aircraft.
Qantas expects Project Sunrise A350-1000ULRs to begin arriving from 2027, alongside additional A350-1000s and Boeing 787s. The airline is also discussing around 20 additional A350 and/or 787 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing to support its long-term fleet transition.
