Emirates begins retiring some A380s even as fleet continues to expand
Emirates, the world's largest operator of Airbus A380s, is beginning to take some of the super-jumbo jets out of its fleet.
That's according to FlightGlobal, which reported the the Dubai-based airline is implementing a retirement plan that will see some A380s come out of service even as more of the aircraft come off the production line and into Emirates' fleet.
The airline's president said the retirements are part of the company's long-term fleet strategy. He told FlightGlobal that the A380s coming out of the fleet will be for "various reasons" and will be retired "on a tail-by-tail, month-by-month basis under a retirement [schedule] that is well planned already.”
Two of the aircraft have already been taken out of service and will be used for spare parts, according to the report.
The report also said that the airline expects to continue flying A380s well into the 2030s, although the number of aircraft may dip below 100 by the mid-2020s.
Emirates has long been the primary customer for the super-jumbo, with 112 in its fleet currently. Airbus announced it would shuttering the A380 production line earlier this year when the airline declined to order more of the aircraft, instead choosing to purchase A330s and A350s.
