There were only 6 Airbus A380s airborne in the entire world today
The coronavirus pandemic is doing strange things to commercial aviation. One of the most evident effects of the crisis is that airlines fly only a fraction of the flights they ran before the pandemic erupted — and that's clear at a glance when looking at flight-tracker sites. On Wednesday morning, Flightradar24 showed that there were only six Airbus A380s airborne in the entire world. The biggest passenger jet ever made has almost disappeared from the skies.
Demand is just too small to justify flying it. Emirates, the biggest airline in the world by international passengers carried and also the largest operator of the Airbus jet, has grounded most of its flights and all of its A380s. That has dealt a major blow to current operations of the double-decker. The vast majority of the world's A380s are parked pending a return of demand. The only ones airborne on Wednesday were with Qatar Airways, China Southern and Thai Airways.
The Flightradar map showed Thai's formerly daily flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok, now operating on a reduced frequency; Qatar's ultra-long-haul from Sydney, Australia, to the airline's home base in Doha; and the China Southern flight to Los Angeles, now operating just three times a week — probably near-empty, since most foreign citizens are no longer allowed into China. Those three flights were running under their normal scheduled flight numbers. The other flights, such as Qatar's QR3456, bore the flight numbers in the thousands that often indicate non-scheduled or one-off operations.
Please visit TPG's hub page for coronavirus coverage and sign-up for our daily newsletter for up-to-date information on the outbreak.
Things are not much better these days for the other double-decker giant, the Boeing 747. At a glance, there were a lot of 747s flying at the same time we checked the A380 flights. But that's deceptive: Most of them were cargo flights operated by 747s configured as cargo-only carriers.
We counted only two passenger 747s airborne on Wednesday morning: British Airways Flight BA193 from London to Dallas-Fort Worth, a regularly scheduled service, and Air China Flight CA81 from Beijing to Milan. The latter might have been a flight transporting medical supplies, since CA81 is not a regularly scheduled service and the same flight number was used for a flight carrying aid supplies to Milan on March 15, according to an Italian news site.
The A380, an airplane known for its superlatives, will return in bigger numbers once the crisis passes, but not for long. With the assembly line winding down and just over 200 flying, it's headed for an early demise, probably serving until the 2030s at the latest. The 747 has a brighter future, but as cargo carrier rather than a passenger airplane, like the Boeing 767 — another jet whose retirement has been accelerated by the coronavirus crisis.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.