‘Hi honey, I’m home’: Qantas’ first mammoth A380 returns to Australia
Qantas’ first mammoth Airbus A380 aircraft has returned to Australia after being grounded by the pandemic in another step forward for the return of international travel.
One of the biggest passenger craft in the world the plane, named Hudson Fysh, has spent almost two years in storage after the airline stopped flying in March 2020.
Most planes were sent to desert storage in California.
After 4500 hours of maintenance, including getting new landing gear in Dresden, Germany, the plane flew home to Australia, which took more than 19 hours.
It landed at Sydney Airport just after 3pm.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said it a “really special day” and “really emotional seeing the plane land.”
“This is the flagship aircraft of Qantas landing back in Australia after almost 600 days,” he said.
“It’s an amazing occasions for staff in particular.
“Only six months ago we were planning these aircraft would be in the desert until 2023.”
While only Aussies are allowed into the county now, Mr Joyce reiterated his desire for the borders to open for more, once the thousands of stranded Australians get home.
“We should open up to tourists, we should open up to other workers,” he said.
The aircraft registration is VH-OQB and it was flown by Captain Paul Grant on flight number QF6023.
Mr Grant worked as a housepainter and a courier during the pandemic, Mr Joyce said.
The plane will have more checks before it is used for crew training.
Pilots will have to train in simulators and in the classroom to be allowed back in the air again.
The A380-Airbus planes can carry almost 500 passengers on two levels.
A message from the crew shared by Qantas on Twitter said: “Hi honey, I’m home! QF6023 in Australian airspace and tracking well. Can’t wait to overfly the harbour on our approach. Look to the skies and give us a wave around 3pm, from Flying Fysh crew.”
Qantas is bringing back five A380s ahead of schedule, with two to operate flights to Los Angeles from April 2022 and three to fly to London from November 2022.
Pilot’s hopeful sign in the sky
Qantas says bookings are booming, with half a million trips booked in the past two weeks, compared with around 20,000 in a two-week period in August
It said Jetstar’s recent international sale saw 75,000 seats sold in 72 hours.
International travel is now allowed from anywhere in Australia- but people in places other than NSW, Victoria and the ACT are limited on being able to return.
