Qantas A380 returns to Sydney-Hong Kong
From next month, the superjumbo will be a regular visitor to the Asian metropolis through to February 2024.

Qantas is bringing its Airbus A380 back onto the Sydney-Hong Kong route from late October 2023 through to February 2024 in a sign of continued demand for travel to the Asian metropolis.
It’s a familiar pattern from pre-pandemic years, with the superjumbo increasing capacity across the peak travel season spanning from Australian summer through to Chinese New Year and beyond.
At the time of writing, the Qantas timetable shows the first A380 from Sydney to Hong Kong taking over from Airbus A330 which usually tackles the 9+ hour route as QF127 on Tuesday October 31 (and returning to Sydney as QF128 that same evening).
The superjumbo is then listed for every day except Monday and Thursday – on which days the A330 slots back in – until becoming a daily A380 service from mid-Deccember through to late February (although we stress that these schedules can change).
The red-tailed A380 represents a significant uplift compared to the A330, with almost 200 more seats each way each day – include more than twice as many in business class plus an extra hundred in economy (quite bearable for at least the Sydney-Hong Kong daytime leg).
The A380 also adds 35 premium economy seats into the mix, along with 14 first class suites – although in this instance those spacious suites will be sold and treated as business class, with the same meals, wine and service as the 64-seat business class cabin and at the same price as any other business class ticket.
And because this is the last Qantas A380 in its original ‘classic’ configuration – unlike its upgraded siblings – it’s fitted with old Skybed business class berths in a 2-2-2 layout.
That alone makes it worthwhile to try and be one of the 14 business class passengers to enjoy the A380’s refined first class suites and quieter cabin.
And if you’re flying with a friend stuck in Ye Olde Skybeds, they can join you in the suite to share a meal, a drink or even a game of cards.
So how do you escape the A380’s saggy two-across Skybeds and land yourself in first class?
As has been the case with these previous A380 first-sold-as-business ventures, the first class cabin is included on the seat selection chart for business class – so it’s just a matter of choosing a seat between row 1 and row 5.
Executive Traveller understands that Platinum One frequent flyers, along with Chairman’s Lounge members, will be the first given the opportunity to upgrade themselves from a business class seat to a first class suite on their booking’s seat selection screen.
For everyone else, use the Qantas T-80 tactic as your departure date nears.
Any suites remaining unoccupied in the days prior to the flight can be assigned by Qantas to selected frequent flyers, or they may even appear on the business class seating chart if you use the Manage My Booking page to check or change your seat.
You can even ask at the check-in desk or the lounge if there’s a vacant suite still up for grabs; on the day of the flight, Qantas will likely offer any unallocated First seats to top-tier frequent flyers.
As to which suite to choose: suites 1A and 1K generally give you that ‘private jet’ feeling, while 2F – also known as the Harry Potter suite – delivers a cosy nest, and 5A and 5K amp up the privacy.
For the best view on the daytime flight to Hong Kong, opt for 4A and 4K, while on the overnight return leg, light sleepers should avoid 5F.
If you’re not flying in business class, note that Qantas will be selling premium economy on the Hong Kong-bound A380s – and again, these will be the original premium economy recliners, not the latest A380 premium economy seats – while of course there’s that delightful economy mini-cabin tucked away at the very back of the upper deck, from rows 32 to 36.
Headed to Hong Kong? Here’s how your Australian passport can be used to skip the immigration queues at Hong Kong Airport via the automated e-Channel lanes.
22 May 2011
Total posts 84
I’m WP and tried to book a first seat on a business ticket - every day I tried, first was completely blocked out.
30 Nov 2016
Total posts 22
Per the article, it states that these seats are blocked for WP1 / CL members until T-80. That's why they're blocked to you a a WP.
03 May 2013
Total posts 668
Pre Covid I was lucky enough to score 2 RTN J -> F upgrades, SYD-LAX-SYD. I had to pinch myself a few times.
08 Feb 2018
Total posts 144
why do they still have one un-upgraded A380 flying around? Is it planned to be upgraded at some point?
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1488
I flew on this un-upgraded plane from SIN to SYD in First few months back and have talk to FA why it is still in old configuration and what QF planning to do with it. FA said that according to internal rumor QF fetch this A380 from storage because rapid increase in seat requirement and absent of B747 that been retired much earlier than planned because of COVID. FA also said that rumor says that there is no plans to upgrade this A380, but instead QF planning to use it on SYD-HKG route over summer and as replacement plane if required (lucky some SYD-LHR pax!!!) until new fleet arrives and then this A380 will be retired.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 410
I don't rate 'galley gossip' as very reliable, crew talk is more often than not actually uninformed or pure speculation which gets picked up and passed along as fact.
The early return of this particular A380 is correct, it was well documented and a big 'hangar event', Qantas itself made a talking point of how it brought back this first A380 ahead of schedule so it could train pilots and crew back up to begin A380 duties when the refurbished A380s came back a few months later, but the boom in travel meant this unrefurbished A380 had to be pressed into actual commercial service.
But with everything that has happened in terms of capacity I can't see Qantas pulling another A380 out of service and ending up with just nine flying, and the 'new fleet' is years away, if you are talking about the A350-1000s for Project Sunrise that's the end of 2025 and beyond, and those won't be replacing the current A380 SYD-SIN-LHR route or SYD-LAX for example.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 410
That's what we have been told, it's just "last on the list" because Qantas needs every A380 it can right now, I expect that when the final two come back into service this one will be sent off for its own upgrade.
15 Mar 2018
Total posts 88
Yes, it is scheduled, but it would see it has been used as a back-up until then. Now the bugs have been ironed out of the refurbed A380s and the ones returned from storage, it is being put to another use until it goes for refurb. Aircraft sitting unused is not good economics.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Sep 2023
Total posts 1
Don't get too excited about this un-refurbished A380 that I flew to and from HKG in April this year. Lovely smooth flight as always with the A380's but the seats and surroundings are well worn, it really needs the refresh. Both BC on the way up and PE on the way back were very disappointing. I know the A330's are well worn too but the faster boarding processing on the A330 is a big benefit over the A380's.
16 Aug 2022
Total posts 2
Also recently flew J in un-refurb'd A380 with clients and we all agreed it was one, if not, the worst flight we had ever taken in J. Left completely disappointed & embarrassed. I mean everything was banged up. Seats had stains on them, scuff marks and dents everywhere, screens were cool when Bob Hawke was PM but for 2023? Not to mention the food was ATROCIOUS.
16 Aug 2022
Total posts 2
Agree 1000%
Stay well clear of J in QF A380 (un-furbished) if you can.
Dogs breakfast. Stained seats, dents & scuff marks everywhere, TVS still from the 90's and food to match a 3rd world country. It really is a hot mess.
07 Sep 2021
Total posts 9
As long as this unrenovated A380 VH-OQL stays well clear of Los Angeles.
We already have 2 x unrenovated QF A380 with VH-OQC sitting in Abu Dhabi since 20/06/21 plus VH-OQA in Abu Dhabi since 18/11/22.
Earlier comments by Alan Joyce confirmed neither of these 2 will be renovated until 2024 at the earliest.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Sep 2021
Total posts 11
Silk purse and sows ear comes to mind.
23 Jul 2017
Total posts 95
My favourite part of the cattle class are the 32 - 36 rows. I'm not going to waste precious points for the short haul to Hong Kong on upper classes.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1488
IMHO biggest waste of points to book cattle class using them. And "short haul" of 8 hours will became nightmare (no pun intended) in overnight flight. But as they said horses for courses.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 410
Excellent use of points to book economy at classic reward rates on SYD-HKG at 25,200 points instead of paying high fares, still around $750, and 9 hours on a daytime flight is very bearable. But yes, for the overnight HKG-SYD leg you really want to be in business class or ideally one of the first class suites.
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 436
The best parts of this are
1. being able to get a first class suite if you are booked into business class AND are one of the lucky 14 passengers, otherwise it's an abysmal business class product for this day and age, the only plus is the legroom compared to the 'Business Suite', and
2. being able to get an economy seat at classic reward rates, as quite a few of these appear to be available, especially if you can get into that upper deck cabin.
Maybe Qantas will release more classic reward seats as in the coming weeks, I certainly hope so.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1488
Nice advice to jump to First seat on Business ticket, but for vast majority of us it is no more than mockery.
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