SYDNEY- Qantas (QF) is set to shelve the Airbus A380 on its Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) service this October, with the Boeing 787-9 taking over the route.
The change will leave Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) as the only remaining A380 destinations from Melbourne for the Australian flag carrier.
Qantas 787-9 Melbourne to Los Angeles Route
Qantas is expected to suspend A380 operations between Melbourne and Los Angeles from October 24. The final flight is set for that date, with the route then operated exclusively by the Boeing 787-9 from the next day.
For the Australian airline, the decision to replace the A380 with the 787 on its flights from Melbourne is expected to lower its overall operating costs to the Californian city, while redeploying the superjumbo on services to Singapore.
Existing A380 services from Sydney to the United States, Asia, Europe and Africa remain unaffected, according to Simple Flying.
Qantas Airbus A380 Activity at Melbourne
Qantas records a total of 85 nonstop A380 flights from Melbourne this year, still relatively low when compared with pre-pandemic levels. The carrier recorded 115 departures last year and 105 the year before that.
Qantas A380 Departures From Melbourne, 2017 to 2026
| Year | Total Departures |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 713 |
| 2018 | 698 |
| 2019 | 730 |
| 2020 | 175 |
| 2021 | Zero |
| 2022 | Six |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2024 | 105 |
| 2025 | 115 |
| 2026 | 85 |
Other Qantas A380 Routes From Melbourne
The red and white painted planes will continue to operate at Melbourne on other key routes for Qantas, including its nonstop service to Singapore and onwards to London Heathrow.
Historically, the carrier has also operated the type on services to Dubai International Airport (DXB), along with one-off flights to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) and New York JFK Airport (JFK).
Busiest A380 Year Since Pandemic
Data from Cirium, an online aviation analytics company, identifies that this year will mark the highest number of A380 departures from Melbourne since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 1,017 departures are scheduled for the 2026 calendar year, the first time the airport has reached quadruple figures since the pandemic.
Despite the Qantas exit from the A380 on the Los Angeles route, Australia’s second busiest airport will still record the highest level of this aircraft type’s operation since 2020.
All A380 Departures From Melbourne
| Year | Total Departures |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,067 |
| 2020 | 525 |
| 2021 | 52 |
| 2022 | 586 |
| 2023 | 954 |
| 2024 | 837 |
| 2025 | 845 |
| 2026 | 1,017 |
Airlines Still Flying A380 to Melbourne
Qantas, Emirates and Singapore Airlines will remain the only operators of the double-decker at Melbourne.
Remaining Scheduled From Melbourne
| Airline | A380 Destination |
|---|---|
| Emirates | Dubai (DXB) |
| Qantas | Singapore (SIN), London Heathrow (LHR) |
| Singapore Airlines | Singapore (SIN) |
The airport has welcomed several other operators of the type over the years. China Southern, Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways all operated the aircraft type to Melbourne, before either retiring it or making operational adjustments to other aircraft.
Inside the Qantas Airbus A380 Fleet
Qantas operates a fleet of 10 A380s, all configured the same to carry a total of 485 passengers across four classes of service.
Cabin Configuration
- First Class: 14 seats
- Business Class: 70 seats
- Premium Economy: 60 seats
- Economy Class: 341 seats
Last year, Qantas celebrated the full return of its A380 fleet after an extensive fleet renewal as it welcomed these planes back to regular operations.
Qantas A380 Fleet List
| Registration | MSN | Aircraft Name |
|---|---|---|
| VH-OQA | 14 | Nancy Bird Walton |
| VH-OQB | 15 | Hudson Fysh |
| VH-OQC | 22 | Paul McGinness |
| VH-OQD | 26 | Fergus McMaster |
| VH-OQG | 47 | Charles Ulm |
| VH-OQH | 50 | Reginald Ansett |
| VH-OQI | 55 | David Warren |
| VH-OQJ | 62 | Bert Hinkler |
| VH-OQK | 63 | John and Reginald Duigan |
| VH-OQL | 74 | Phyllis Arnott |
Fleet details as per ch-aviation.
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