British Airways brings Airbus A380 back on track, will also fly between London and Madrid
The SuperJumbos are back on track: in fact, British Airways has decided to wake up from hibernation in the Spanish desert some of its [...]
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SuperJumbos return to the track: British Airways has indeed decided to wake up from hibernation in the Spanish desert some of its Airbus A380 ahead of the winter season. News that, as many experts are noting, suggests that soon you will be able to fly again With the frequency of the pre-pandemic period.
British Airways' newest Airbus A380 (Reg: LEL)
A380s had been mothballed when Covid-19 had spread around the world. And they still remained so as the first openings slowly occurred and international travel resumed. With its four engines and 600 seats, the aircraft was deemed economically inconvenient to employ to current conditions with limited travel and few passengers.
In recent months, only Emirates had resumed flying steadily with the giant of the skies, while many airlines such as Air France and Etihad have decided to remove them from the fleet forever.
In February 2019, Airbus had announced the End of production within two years. A choice born after the main user of the SuperJumbo, Emirates, had decided to move toward the more affordable twin-engine A350 for the future. Before British Airways, we had already told you about the return of Airbus A380s. Qantas announced the reactivation of the aircraft, as well as Qatar Airways. "We need to find spaces for our passengers," explained company CEO Akbar Al Baker, "who need to reach their loved ones for Christmas.
British Airways' plan for A380s
From November 8, the Airbus A380 will fly back from London's Heathrow Airport, covering the 408 miles (657 kilometers) to Frankfurt in the morning, and in the afternoon the 773 miles (1,244 kilometers) that separate the British port of call from Madrid.
British Airways' A380 will initially operate to these short-haul destinations to allow for crew service familiarization; shortly thereafter it will fly to Miami and Los Angeles in the United States, as well as Dubai in December.
This opportunity will be truly unique, comparable only to when this summer Lufthansa flew its 747/800s on the route from Frankfurt to Palma de Mallorca.
For the long-distance travel, however, will have to wait another month. Starting December 3, British Airways will reopen flights to Miami. The company will take advantage of the reopening of international flights to the United States, which the White House plans to allow again from next November.
Thereafter, BA A380s will fly to Dubai, From Fort Worth and Los Angeles; although the Texas leg, which Burgess says is scheduled to begin Dec. 7, could be moved forward, since the airport has not yet begun to gear up to return to accommodate this type of aircraft.
What the return of British Airways A380s means.
Good news for all travelers comes from British Airways, and for a number of reasons. The first is that only last August it seemed that SuperJumbos would not return to fly from London until the summer of 2022. The change of course is evidence that the British airline has Confidence in an early return to international air travel and, consequently, in exiting the most dramatic phase of the pandemic.
"The re-introduction of A380s. shows an increase in demand ahead of winter - claims analyst Sean Moulton, as reported by The Independent - The plane will be critical for companies serving London, although it remains to be seen which routes will become available again in the long term and which markets will react most quickly to the change."
Short-haul routes to major European cities are also increasing, with 48 weekly flights to Amsterdam, 33 to Geneva, 35 to Dublin, 28 to Milan, and 21 to Berlin, Paris, and Rome.
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