Qantas Airways hints at reactivation of its first Airbus A380 jet

The flag carrier of Australia Qantas Airways reportedly revealed when it plans to reactivate its first Airbus A380 widebody aircraft.

The Airbus A380-800 jet, registered as VH-OQB, is supposed to become the first out of ten Qantas superjumbos to return from storage to active service in the coming weeks, the airline told local media on October 5, 2021. According to Planespotters.com data, the plane, which is also known as Hudson Fysh, is currently stored at Dresden Airport (DRS), in Germany, where it has been grounded since August 2021. 

The widebody jet has already spent almost 20 months on the ground as it was first put in storage at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the US at the beginning of the global pandemic in March 2020.

Aviation enthusiasts of Australia will likely see the reactivated superjumbo jet landing at Sydney Airport (SYD) by November 14, 2021. However, before returning to passenger service, Qantas Airways will have to dedicate a few additional weeks for mandatory aircraft checks and other maintenance-related issues. In the meantime, the carrier will also have to conduct staff retraining sessions for flight and cabin crew members, who will operate long-haul flights.

“After arriving, OQB will enter Hangar 96 where it will spend the next few weeks undergoing additional checks and maintenance by our Sydney Engineers,” the airline told its employees in the memo seen by the media.

“We’re expecting the aircraft to be available for ground and crew refresher training from mid-December and will have a cabin refurbishment before its return to service.” 

Having noticed a growing demand for international passenger flights between Sydney and London as well as Sydney and Los Angeles, Qantas Airways plans to offer regular services on the iconic A380 jet in April 2022.