{"id":157921,"date":"2026-09-17T20:34:56","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T15:04:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=157921"},"modified":"2026-09-17T20:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T14:44:16","slug":"etihad-airways-last-stored-a380-finally-returns-to-abu-dhabi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/17\/etihad-airways-last-stored-a380-finally-returns-to-abu-dhabi\/","title":{"rendered":"Etihad Airways\u2019 Last Stored A380 Finally Returns to Safest City in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ABU DHABI-<\/strong> Etihad Airways (EY)<\/a> has brought its last remaining Airbus A380 in long-term storage back toward its main hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), ending about 6.5 years of storage for aircraft A6-APB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The superjumbo departed Tarbes\u2013Lourdes\u2013Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es Airport (LDE) in France on September 17, 2026, marking another step in Etihad\u2019s return of its A380 fleet to passenger operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: Quentin | Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad A380 A6-APB Returns After 6.5 Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Etihad Airways’ Airbus A380 registered A6-APB has completed its long wait in storage and is flying back to Abu Dhabi. The aircraft entered storage in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major reduction in global air travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A6-APB initially remained at Abu Dhabi International Airport<\/a> before Etihad moved it to Tarbes\u2013Lourdes\u2013Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es Airport on December 3, 2020, for longer-term storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tarbes has become an important storage location for large Airbus aircraft because of its long runway and available parking space. The airport is located in southwest France and has hosted several A380s during periods when operators did not require the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Flightradar24 data cited in the source material, A6-APB departed Tarbes at approximately 9:36 AM local time on September 17. The flight had originally been scheduled to leave at 9:00 AM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft then traveled east across southern France before continuing southeast over the Mediterranean region, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia on its journey toward Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its planned arrival at Abu Dhabi was scheduled for around 6:30 PM local time, with the aircraft projected to arrive slightly earlier based on its flight progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: By Mitchul Hope – Etihad Airways | A6-APB | Airbus A380-861 | London Heathrow Airport (LHR\/EGLL), CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=129305775<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Longest-Stored Etihad A380 Rejoins the Fleet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A6-APB became the ninth and final Etihad A380 to return from the airline’s stored fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Etihad originally operated 10 Airbus A380 aircraft<\/a>. However, not every aircraft survived the long period of reduced demand following the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline’s A380 fleet was grounded in 2020 as international aviation faced a sharp decline in passenger demand. Etihad later began bringing the type back as travel demand recovered and customers returned to long-haul international routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Etihad stated in 2022 that the decision to reactivate its A380s followed increased demand across its network and customer feedback requesting the return of the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline has since restored most of its A380 fleet to service. A6-APB took the longest to return among the remaining aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Etihad A380, A6-APA, will not return to passenger service. The aircraft was moved to Tarbes for storage on November 5, 2020, but was eventually dismantled and scrapped in July 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That leaves A6-APB as the final aircraft from Etihad’s original 10-aircraft A380 fleet to return from long-term storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Lars Hentschel – http:\/\/www.airliners.net\/photo\/Etihad-Airways\/Airbus-A380-861\/2548788\/L\/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=37377248<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad A380 Offers 496 Seats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The return of A6-APB adds another Airbus A380 to Etihad’s passenger fleet, providing additional capacity on routes where the aircraft is scheduled to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining Etihad A380s are about 11 years old on average. They remain among the older aircraft types in the airline’s passenger fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the fleet information cited in the source material, Etihad’s A380s currently have 496 seats. The aircraft previously operated with 486 seats, with the airline adding another 10 seats during 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lower deck is configured entirely with economy-class seating, while the upper deck contains business-class and first-class cabins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upper deck includes 70 business-class seats and 11 first-class seats. This configuration allows Etihad to combine high-capacity economy seating with a substantial premium cabin offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Etihad Airways, A6-APG, Airbus A380-861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=78120484<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Residence Returns With the A380<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most distinctive features of Etihad’s Airbus A380 is The Residence, a private three-room accommodation located within the first-class cabin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Residence is designed for two passengers and includes a living area with a twin-occupancy sofa, a private bathroom with a shower, and a separate bedroom with a double bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its inclusion makes the A380 particularly important to Etihad’s premium travel proposition. The aircraft provides several cabin classes within one airframe while also offering one of the airline’s most exclusive onboard products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The return of A6-APB therefore represents more than the restoration of another aircraft. It restores additional premium and economy capacity to a fleet that Etihad had significantly reduced during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK – Airbus A380-861 'A6-APE' Etihad, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=44518492<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why A6-APB\u2019s Return Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft’s return closes one of the longest storage periods involving an Etihad A380.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A6-APB was grounded in March 2020, transferred to Tarbes later that year, and remained there for years. Its eventual return follows Etihad’s broader decision to reactivate its A380 fleet as demand for long-haul travel recovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft’s movement also highlights the changing role of the Airbus A380 within Etihad’s fleet. Once grounded indefinitely, the type has now returned to active passenger operations across the airline’s network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With A6-APB heading back to Abu Dhabi, Etihad has completed the reactivation of its surviving A380 fleet. The aircraft now joins eight other surviving examples that have already returned to service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final return also draws a clear line between the A380 fleet Etihad operated before the pandemic and the smaller fleet it has retained for the post-pandemic market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Etihad (Choose South Korea Livery), A6-APD, Airbus A380-861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=87549425<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad\u2019s A380 Fleet at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Detail<\/th>Information<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Aircraft type<\/td>Airbus A380<\/td><\/tr>
Aircraft registration<\/td>A6-APB<\/td><\/tr>
Airline<\/td>Etihad Airways (EY)<\/td><\/tr>
Main hub<\/td>Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)<\/td><\/tr>
Storage airport<\/td>Tarbes\u2013Lourdes\u2013Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es Airport (LDE)<\/td><\/tr>
Initial storage<\/td>March 2020<\/td><\/tr>
Transfer to Tarbes<\/td>December 3, 2020<\/td><\/tr>
Storage period<\/td>About 6.5 years<\/td><\/tr>
Original Etihad A380 fleet<\/td>10 aircraft<\/td><\/tr>
Surviving A380s<\/td>9 aircraft<\/td><\/tr>
A380s reactivated<\/td>9 aircraft<\/td><\/tr>
Current reported configuration<\/td>496 seats<\/td><\/tr>
Business class<\/td>70 seats<\/td><\/tr>
First class<\/td>11 seats<\/td><\/tr>
The Residence<\/td>2 passengers<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on\u00a0Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Etihad Airways’ Airbus A380 A6-APB has left Tarbes after about 6.5 years in storage, becoming the ninth surviving superjumbo to return to the airline’s fleet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":68425,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8465,7215,6761],"tags":[2448,10700,21453,7974,10699,8396],"class_list":{"0":"post-157921","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-aerospace","8":"category-airline-news","9":"category-news","10":"tag-etihad","11":"tag-etihad-a380","12":"tag-etihad-a380-routes","13":"tag-etihad-abu-dhabi-flights","14":"tag-etihad-airbus-a380","15":"tag-etihad-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157921"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157924,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157921\/revisions\/157924"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}