Qatar Airways Makes A380 Change

Qatar Airways is making adjustments to its Airbus A380 operation.

Flagged by Executive Traveller, however, the Australian city of Perth was publicly confirmed by the airline itself in February to be on the chopping block.

With the departure of Perth from the Airbus A380 network after June 24, 2025, only one Australian city will be served by the superjumbo: Sydney.

Launching operations to Perth in 2012, Qatar Airways has maintained a presence on the route in some capacity. The A380 first flew in service in May 2018.

The Airbus A380 continued to serve Perth until the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was replaced with other aircraft of lesser capacity.

By the end of 2022, the aircraft returned to Perth as demand began to surge once more in Australia, aligning with the easing of restrictions that had been implemented.

Despite Qatar Airways axing its A380 service from the Perth market, this is part of a broader effort to expand its presence across Australia, as evident in its investment in Virgin Australia.

Virgin Australia is launching its flights to Doha from Australian capital cities, albeit with Qatar Airways crew and aircraft. This move follows the Doha-based carrier’s previous restriction from outright expanding into the country, with investment serving as a workaround to regulations.

Therefore, while the A380 departs from Perth, the airline’s focus on Australia is by no means dropping, with more flights set to launch, thanks to a stake being acquired in Virgin Australia. This includes double daily flights to Perth with Boeing 777s, part of that expansion.

Qatar Airways and The Airbus A380

Qatar Airways’ relationship with the Airbus A380 has been love-hate since it first took on the jet.

In an interview published on Fobres, the former Chief Executive of Akbar Al Baker reaffirmed that the operation of the A380 is because it’s a necessity to serve their network, rather than a choice.

Baker stated that the A380’s presence was driven by an inability to take delivery of next-generation aircraft on time, which in turn required a high-capacity airliner to remain present to serve in-demand locations.

These comments were not to be the first or last occasion in which the distaste for the A380 was shared on a public scale. Akbar continues to harp on about the size, the efficiency and other drawbacks that made the plane unattractive.

Qatar Airways did not want the jet to return to service during the COVID-19 pandemic; instead, it tried to shift its focus towards newer and twin-engine aircraft.

However, due to supply chain constraints and the rapid surge in traffic alongside the established hub-and-spoke model operated by the carrier, a plane of the A380’s size has been required.

The expectation remains that the A380s will remain present until replacements can be sourced and the carrier feels comfortable enough to move ahead without the world’s largest passenger plane at its disposal.