Here’s a sad milestone, the first A380 went into storage in France back in June after Singapore Airlines returned one of its 10 year old leased aircraft. At the time, the German leasing company said it expected to find a replacement operator “shortly”. Fast-forward to almost December and the aircraft is still in storage with additional Singapore A380s also being returned.
The plane had its engines removed and was painted in white and stored at Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées airport, not far from its birthplace at the Airbus factory in Toulouse.
Since then, Singapore has grounded another A380 at SIN and plans to return it to the leasing company along with a third A380.
The double-deckers could be “parted out” to recover engines and other spares worth at least $100 million per plane, according to German fund manager Dr. Peters, which owns four A380s due to be returned between October and June by Singapore Airlines Ltd.following the expiry of 10-year lease deals.
“Our main goal is to find new lessees, we’re also willing to sell the aircraft as some airlines told us they’d prefer that. Still, there are hardly any spare parts around when it comes to engines for A380s, so it may make sense to do a part-out for the first one or two aircraft returning.”
Could “Head of State” reconfigurations be the next use for returned A380s?
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3 comments
Oh how the mighty have fallen
Was fortunate to fly Qantas’ A380 (in First Class using a ton of AA points) at end of last year to/from Sydney. The A380 is huge/majestic to look at, and smooth/quiet to fly in. Aside from wanting to fly the queen of the skies, I also preferred the A380’s four engines (to any of the alternative twin-engine airliners) across the vast expanses of the Indian and Pacific oceans.
And therein lies the biggest knock on the A380. Two (jumbo) engines are more economical than four, which is the same reason the 747(-8) is on the ropes as well.
Pig ugly, overweight, and small windows. Please get parted out. Quickly.