Are Airbus A380s making a comeback?

With the end of COVID and the return of mass tourism, mothballed Airbus A380s are starting to make an improbable comeback. And several airlines, including Emirates, British Airways, and newcomer Global Airlines, are actually spending hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade the planes once derided as ‘white elephants.’

What happened to the Airbus A380?

(Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) Airbus ended manufacture of the A380 in 2021, with just 252 of the 500 passenger double-deckers built. The plane required a crew of 23 (two pilots and 21 flight attendants), special airport gates, strengthened runways for its million-pound take-off weight, and plenty of kerosene for its four thirsty engines.

Are A380s back in service?

While some superjumbo fleets remain grounded, Emirates has pressed many of its A380s back into service. Room to roam: Richard Jewsbury, divisional vice president UK at Emirates, says the airline is now operating half of its fleet of 123 A380s, with a plan to get up to 90 in the air by the end of the year.