Lufthansa brings the Airbus A380 out of retirement for summer 2023
Lufthansa is dusting off its fleet of A380s and launching them back into the skies after two years in “deep storage,” the company announced.
The German flagship carrier said as demand for travel surges, coupled with delays on orders of other aircraft, it's time for its collection of superjumbos to roar back into action.
“We decided today to put the A380, which continues to enjoy great popularity, back into service at Lufthansa in summer 2023,” Lufthansa said in the statement.
The A380 seemed completely written off by the commercial flight industry by the time COVID-19 brought travel to its knees.
Related: A look inside Boeing’s 737 MAX factory
The past half-decade has seen the gas-guzzling superjumbo trudge grimly toward the scrapyard as younger, more fashionable and fuel-efficient models step into its limelight.
Then the pandemic appeared to accelerate the giant’s fall, as a number of carriers retired the expensive, hulking plane for good, favoring such planes as the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777 and 787.
However, as more popular models suffer setbacks to their delivery schedules, many airlines — including Qantas and Singapore Airlines — are returning to the “monster of the skies” to meet growing demand.
In fact, by the end of 2022, monthly A380 flights will be at almost 60% of pre-COVID-19 totals, according to Cirium data, which also reveals that 106 are back in service. That's up from a low of just four when the pandemic hit in April 2020.
Related: Could the beleaguered A380 be the key to unlocking fossil-free flying?
The A380 does, after all, have its perks.
A technological masterpiece and the world’s largest passenger aircraft, it has enough space for onboard showers and marble-topped cocktail bars, conjuring images of the golden age of aviation glamour. Its sheer double-decker vastness — with a wingspan the length of a football pitch — offers a level of style and comfort, from economy to first class, that remains unmatched.
Lufthansa currently owns eight functional A380s, having sold off six others from its previous fleet of 14. At the time, an airline executive said the chance of operating the jet from its main hub of Frankfurt again was “close to zero.”
Related: The Airbus A380 might be back from the dead — but for how long?
That changed when Boeing told Lufthansa that its expected delivery of 777X planes would be delayed after the plane-maker halted production of the new wide-body jet due to certification problems and weak demand.
Lufthansa, therefore, had to seek alternative arrangements. It appears to have found them, for now, in the A380. The company is currently assessing how many A380s it will reactivate and which destinations the Airbus will fly to.
The news comes as Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr apologized to employees and customers for the travel chaos caused by staff shortages in recent months.
“We certainly made mistakes while saving our company and more than 100,000 jobs over the past two years,” Spohr said in a letter to staff and reported by Reuters.
In a refreshing sign of humility, and in stark contrast to the response of many other airlines, especially in Britain, Spohr added: “Did we go too far in cutting costs here and there, under the pressure of the more than 10 billion euros [$10.5 billion] in pandemic-related losses? Certainly, that too,” he added.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.