Reuters
• Julie Zhu, Sameer Manekar
Qantas will start phasing out its 10 Airbus A380s in 2028, four years earlier than previously planned, as rising maintenance costs and incoming A350s and 787s reshape its long-haul fleet. Older A330s will also begin leaving this year, while Australia-U.S. demand has rebounded.
Airbus
Latest source-backed stories
High activity
Qantas will start phasing out its 10 Airbus A380s in 2028, four years earlier than previously planned, as rising maintenance costs and incoming A350s and 787s reshape its long-haul fleet. Older A330s will also begin leaving this year, while Australia-U.S. demand has rebounded.
United says the Airbus A321XLR cannot perform some missions as originally presented, challenging the practical relevance of its advertised 4,700-nm range. However, the carrier’s existing A321LR and XLR operations indicate that mission profile, payload and operating conditions make the range question more nuanced than the headline figure.
Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia, has agreed a financing deal with a French bank to cover part of the cost of new Airbus aircraft. The transaction highlights the role of bank financing in supporting the airline’s fleet renewal and aircraft acquisition plans.
High activity
Airbus executives once celebrated overtaking Boeing in widebody sales, underscoring the European manufacturer’s earlier competitive momentum. The company has since fallen well behind its U.S. rival in the segment, marking a significant reversal in the long-haul aircraft market and Airbus’ commercial positioning.
High activity
Thousands of Airbus employees in Spain have resumed indefinite strike action after rejecting the company’s latest inflation-linked wage offer and mediation proposal. The dispute has brought industrial sites to a standstill and could affect commercial and military aircraft programs as another mediation meeting is scheduled.
High activity
LATAM Airlines Group has arranged approximately $505 million in long-term financing to support delivery of 11 aircraft in 2026, including Airbus A321neos and Embraer E195-E2s. The funding will accelerate fleet renewal and expansion as the group adds newer-generation aircraft to its network.
High activity
United Airlines will initially deploy Airbus A321XLRs only to destinations in far Western Europe, adopting a more conservative approach to the aircraft’s range than Airbus’ marketing has suggested. The strategy signals that the jet’s practical network utility may fall short of its headline capability in some operations.
High activity
Israir has cleared a key U.S. regulatory hurdle to launch nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and New York JFK, with service targeted for October 2026. The Israeli leisure carrier plans to add two Airbus A330 widebodies, reportedly retaining their existing American Airlines cabin layouts, for its North American expansion.
Create a free account to see more recent Airbus stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
