Just over a decade ago, the gigantic Airbus A380 amazed the aviation industry. No one would have thought that such a creation would have such a short career, but during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, many operators had to retire planes as they feared for their survival in the face of a paralyzed global air traffic.
As we reported in various notes during the pandemic, the main operators of the Airbus A380 had no choice but to stop operating them and store them without a possible return. It was not only the A380 that was affected, several tri- or quad-engine planes began to be displaced from airline fleets as filling wide-body planes seemed complicated.
Airlines began to discard unprofitable and old planes, which were gradually retired. In some cases, companies saw a good future in the sale of parts (cannibalization) to maintain "healthy" finances while the outlook improved. But it was not only the "unprofitable and old" planes that were affected. The Airbus A380 no longer had a place in a scenario like the one presented by the pandemic, or at least that is how the 15 operators of the model around the world saw it.
The landscape during the summer of 2022 began to change drastically. Airlines that once feared for their financial survival are now experiencing a growing global demand for flights, which has returned to 80% of pre-pandemic levels. However, the balance is not equal: planes are needed.
The storage of planes has caused several airline operators of the A380 model to be forced to return these planes to operation. The intentions of the main operators are to continue flying them for a long period, despite the fact that the Airbus plant has closed production of the equipment.
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