Qatar's A380s to remain grounded until late 2022, and may never return
Qatar Airways' Airbus A380 superjumbos may be another casualty of the coronavirus.

Qatar Airways now expects its Airbus A380s to remain grounded until at least late 2022, increasing the chance that the superjumbos may never return to the post-Covid skies.
While earlier suggesting the A380s would be stood down until 2021, airline CEO His Excellency Akbar Al Baker has now stated "we don’t think we are going to operate our A380s for at least the next couple of years."
Speaking at the Airlines 2050 online conference overnight, Al Baker said “I don’t think that the A380 will get back into the skies in the short term" due to the superjumbo being simply too big and too costly to fly at a time when demand has sunk to record lows.
”There will not be that kind of demand (in the short term), and if demand starts to grow and people start deploying the A380, you will only be able to achieve [the reintroduction] by dumping the price [of tickets]," he added. "And once you dump the price, you become unsustainable."
Focus shifts to the Boeing 777X
Qatar Airways had expected to begin the retirement of its A380s across 2024-2028, but Al Baker has previously noted that the longer his ten-strong fleet of A380s stays on the ground, the less likely they are to come back into service – paving the way for the Boeing 777X to become Qatar Airways' next-generation flagship.
This could include a series of Boeing 777-9 jets with an all-new first class cabin to fill a gap in the high-end travel market once its Airbus A380s are retired.
However, the luxury cocoons would appear on “just a handful” of the Gulf carrier’s Boeing 777-9 aircraft, Qatar Airways Group CEO His Excellency Akbar Al Baker previously told Executive Traveller.
In turn, that first class sub-fleet would feature on only a few premium-heavy European routes.
“We are studying the possibility of having a very exclusive first class cabin of just four seats, for example,” Al Baker said, describing it as a deliberately “very niche product” aimed at well-heeled Qatari travellers.
“We have huge demand here in Qatar to two or three European destinations” such as London and Paris, Al Baker explained, “so we may introduce a very small first class cabin for our local passengers who want a very exclusive first class product.”
The Qatari flag-carrier has signed a firm order for 50 of Boeing’s debutante 777-9 model to replace the current Boeing 777-300ER workhorses, and ten Boeing 777-8s to substitute for the long-legged Boeing 777-200LRs – but those first class suites would not appear in the first tranche of Boeing 777-9 deliveries, which will be delayed until at least 2022 as part of a broader push-back on all new Airbus and Boeing jets.
“It will not be on the initial 777X because we want to have a product that is really very unique, so we need time to develop it.”
PREVIOUS [May 13, 2020] | Qatar Airways' flagship Airbus A380s will remain grounded until the second half of 2021 and may never return to the skies, as the Gulf carrier prepares to face the new reality of substantially reduced demand for air travel.
The Doha-based airline will downsize its 200-strong fleet by 25% during the drawn-out recovery period from the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, with the travel industry taking "around two to three years to get back to 2019 levels," airline CEO His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said on Monday.
“I think I would be very surprised if things will happen before 2023/2024," Al Baker reflected.
Al Baker has previously indicated that the airline's ten Airbus A380s would be retired from 2024, but the superjumbos could already have made their last flight.
"Qatar Airways is parking its 10 A380s and they will not return for at least a year, and maybe never," Al Baker said during a media briefing to discuss the airline's plans.
Qatar Airways took delivery of the first of ten Airbus A380s in September 2014, with a standout feature of the superjumbo being the spacious and stunningly-appointed 'Sanctuary' business class lounge on the upper deck.
They also feature the Oneworld member's only first class product: a set of eight open first class suites, which were arguably eclipsed less than four years later by the launch of the highly-regarded business class Qsuites.
Al Baker later confirmed that the A380s would not be upgraded with the new Qsuites, admitting in June 2019 at the Paris Air Show "we feel that the aircraft does not have very long future in Qatar Airways' fleet. We would think about retiring those aeroplanes on their 10th anniversary, unless something untoward happens and we need them."
Early design work on a modified version of the Qsuite designed to fit into the curved fuselage of the A380's upper deck was fed into the Qsuite 2.0 business class of Qatar Airways' Boeing 787-9 jets which are said to be substantially lighter, have lower partitions, and lack the ability to convert four middle suites into a 'quad'.
Also read: "The A380 is over", declares Emirates president Sir Tim Clark
13 May 2020
Total posts 3
I'm going to dearly miss the Lounge - a lot of fond memories. Vale the Queen of the Skies - sic transit gloria mundi.
25 Oct 2017
Total posts 63
OUCH !!! Reality really hurts.
03 May 2013
Total posts 581
A very sad day for ultra long haul. The A380 has been the best thing to happen in aviation from a passenger experience perspective; and on the Qatar A380 is was second to none. I'll go out of my way to fly the A380 if it returns post covid. I still think it has a limited future.
QFF
19 Sep 2013
Total posts 168
Darn, I'll also miss the lounge and the quiet and smooth ride on the long trips. Still thought I could hear the 380 thundering out of Perth every night - didn't realise they had changed.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
11 Dec 2016
Total posts 63
I don't understand why Qatar is sending both an A350 and an 777 to Sydney and out of Sydney at the same time together each day now. It would have to be cheaper to send the single A380 instead wouldn't it?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Jun 2014
Total posts 177
Much more freight capacity.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 190
Lots of freight capacity with x2 flights daily Lotsa cheap Aussie foodstuffs for the Emirate of Qatar! Correct me if I am wrong but stil ldaily flights to/from Adelaide for the same purpose? You honestly thought they were flying here specifically for passengers?????? Delusional!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Mar 2013
Total posts 174
The QR product has always been nice. Of the Middle East Three (ME3) I've preferred QR's Business approach. Of course, the Q Suite made First obsolete. That said, I did enjoy the occasions where I was up the front in First with QR - on this note EK & EY has it over QR in first. But I digress...
QR is a product worth supporting and, alas, the A380 is indeed the Big Bird whose flying days are numbered. Alas.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Aug 2018
Total posts 85
After more than 25 years of OS travel, had booked QR for the very first time with return tickets in J, aiming to start in the first week of May 2020. The Chinese virus stopped all that and more. Trust they, the A 380s will return in late May 2021 for all the QR vouchers and others(!) to be utilised. Gnashing teeth are no substitute for flying
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 393
If they do away with on board 1st, wonder what they'll do with their 1st lounges at doha and anywhere else.
13 May 2020
Total posts 624
but if fuel is so cheap, surely they could hedge it at these low prices, which apparently makes the A380 viable. It's seating is only approx 25% more than next size jet down.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 190
Shame shame shame Great redemptions using AA miles in QR First on A380 PER-DOH, thence QR "First" to AMM, pick up RJ C on the short hop to Tel Aviv Great Al Safwa First lounge Have done this twice, and was going to do it again this April but sadly my regular Tel Aviv/Zurich trip cas CXLD thx to COVID 19 Hope it comes back again some day
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